Transferring embroidery pattern onto colored fabric
by Charleen McElroy
(Arizona)
I am going to embroider a design on black fabric.
Someone told me to use fusible paper to draw my pattern, then iron it to the fabric, and do the embroidery on the paper. But I am not sure what kind of fusible paper, and how to get rid of the paper once I have finished the work.
I cannot find this person to ask her. What would you do to transfer embroidery patterns onto the black fabric, or any other fabric color?
Thanks, any help would be appreciated.
Carol responds...
Many commercial patterns for embroidery are sold for transferring onto white or pale colored fabrics, and do not show up on a darker tone. You can get transfers that are silver-colored which would do the job quite nicely, however.
If you want to create your own pattern, there are various ways of doing this. The one you choose would depend on the texture of the fabric, and the complexity of your design, Charleen.
You could sketch a simple outline design with a white tailor's chalk. This would brush off when required.
You could use a light, fusible interfacing, similar to what was suggested. This would typically be ironed onto the back of the fabric, so the design would have to be created in reverse, especially if any lettering was included. You could then tack around the design lines with a pale-colored thread so that the picture was visible on the right side. The interfacing would then be left in place once the work was completed.
You could use a similar tacking method by using tissue paper, which you would lay on the front of the work. Once you have outlined the pattern in tacking (basting) thread, you could then tear away the paper before starting to stitch.
Another method of getting the pattern onto a dark fabric ready to embroider would be Prick and Pounce. I give more information about this, and other methods of transferring patterns here...
transferring patterns onto fabric
You could also use a light coloured embroidered carbon paper between your fabric and the pattern to trace over.
You may find that one of those fits your requirements.
Regards,
Carol
