Using Waste Canvas

[Lalina]

So I used waste canvas for the first time! I really liked the result but I realize that there are a few things I should remember the next time I try to use it:
- I should probably use more floss (I used 3 threads, I think I will try 4 to see if it can be a bit more "full")
- Embroidery stabilizer is essential
- Hoops are extremely helpful
- Anchor ends well

Does anyone else have advice on using waste canvas? I am really excited and plan on stitching images onto hats and pants but I've found that I take much longer to stitch onto clothing than onto regular aida. I am hoping that this will improve with practise.

[QueenBex]

what needle did you use?

[wozz90]

That is awesome I have been wanting to try this on a t shirt but I haven't done any embroidery before. Time to learn i think.

[icedragonj]

So I used waste canvas for the first time! I really liked the result but I realize that there are a few things I should remember the next time I try to use it:
- I should probably use more floss (I used 3 threads, I think I will try 4 to see if it can be a bit more "full")
- Embroidery stabilizer is essential
- Hoops are extremely helpful
- Anchor ends well

Does anyone else have advice on using waste canvas? I am really excited and plan on stitching images onto hats and pants but I've found that I take much longer to stitch onto clothing than onto regular aida. I am hoping that this will improve with practise.

That mushroom looks pretty 'full' to me. I would use the same amount of thread you would normally use for stitching straight onto aida. For me that is 2 threads for 14ct and 16ct. 3 threads for 12ct or less. But different people have different tastes, I don't think it is that uncommon to use 3 threads on 14ct.

What is embroidery stabilizer? I havn't used it on my projects. I thought denim would be rigid enough as it is. Using a hoop I have found is almost an essential, as the waste canvas does not give enough strength to the fabric, and without it it is hard to give your stitches even tension.

You are not alone with the much longer thing. Aida is designed to be easy to stich on. Getting the needle to come up through the center of the hole is a bit tricky when there are not helpful indentations. This doesn't even include the time it takes to remove the waste canvas. This process is what usually gives me the most trouble. I usually end up pulling the strands out one by one with tweesers. My main bit of advice would be not to try anything too large, as the bigger it is, the harder it is to pull out the threads.

[Eliste]

What is embroidery stabilizer? I havn't used it on my projects. I thought denim would be rigid enough as it is.

Embroidery stabilizer is something you put on the back of a stitching area that prevents it from warping/stretching/etc while you work on it. It comes in different varieties- tear-away, iron-on, etc and which you use depends on both project and personal preference.

The main things embroidery stabilizers do is to give light fabrics the ability to not fall apart when you're stitching on them and to prevent stretching of the fabric (which can mean fabric looks bubbled and warped when the project is taken out of a hoop/frame). Its not about rigidity, although that can help sometimes. There are rigid stabilizers, but the best ones are designed not to be any more rigid than whatever it is attached to. It just gives better anchorage for stitches and generally makes the finished result look better and last longer as well as making it easier to stitch.