Embroidering on hard to hoop items

   How many times have you been requested to work on items that have been difficult to hoop? I am raising both hands! Today I am working on burlap tote bags that have a plastic lining. Generally, if I receive an order that I cannot fold up into a plastic bag I prepare it for my Fast Frames.

   Fast Frames are a patented pressed metal that offers an alternative to hooping; perfect for those difficult to hoop items that people keep asking us to embroider. I do love my Fast Frames, it was was on the best additional purchases that I made when I got my Entrepreneur Pro PR-1000e Brother embroidery machine. They were an additional cost, but worth every penny. I use mine every day. Not just for items that are difficult to hoop.

   Fast Frames are great to use for embroidering baby onesies, shirts, bags, totes and so much more; the list can go on and on. These pressed metal frames are so versatile! Whether you are a novice or master embroiderist Fast Frames are a must have.

   Here is a recent project that I had to embroider using Fast Frames. 
These burlap tote bags are beautiful, but with the plastic lining they are rather difficult to hoop; therefore, I used my largest Fast Frame. This frame measures 185x185mm.
 

The only stabilizer that I used for the project was the Sulky Sticky+ . I bought mine by the bolt at Amazon.com. But, I found it HERE for a good price, too. Of course, you can always purchase Sulky Sticky back stabilizer from your local Hobby Lobby, Jo Ann's, or Hancock Fabrics.  I used my grid mat to mark the center of the stabilizer, then place it on my machine to center the frame up with the needle. This is actually a more important step with the smaller frames. It is important to get the embroidery centered up so the needle won't hit the side of the frame.

  I lined the top of the Fast Frame up with the edge of the tote, using my grid mat as a guide.

Since the bag is made of burlap the thread is fairly holey, a layer of Water Soluble Stabilizer is the perfect fix. The WSS keeps the thread from getting lost between the gaps. 

   

   Once the monogram had been stitched out I gently peeled away the sticky back stabilizer and was left with this... 

 
  It is always a given to finished up an embroidered design or monogram by trimming the jump stitches on the back. Trimming doesn't take too long, and it is a small way of saying that your customers are important and worth the time.

   Here is the finished monogram. So beautiful. I used Vine Font, center initial is 5" and the side initials measure 3" tall. Thread colour is Floriani's Chocolate Brown PF0199


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