When it comes to putting an embroidery design in the right spot, a template is a handy, essential tool.
A "template" is printout of a design. It has the center of the design identified, as well as the horizontal and vertical axis lines. Most embroidery software programs - like Embird, Buzz Tools, 3D/4D/5D, Artista Editor, Janome Customizer (to name a few) - can print templates of designs.
If you have an embroidery software program, chances are it can print templates. Each program will vary depending on the tools, but usually it's as simple as opening the design and choosing "file" and "print."
Print a template using an embroidery software. Templates can be used to position and embroider multiple embroidery designs. Some designs can even be mirrored or rotated to fit together with other designs.
We recommend Wilcom's Hatch software which comes in different levels depending on what you'd like to use the software for. Hatch Organizer works well to view your designs, print dielines and templates, change design colors, and create basic design layouts. (This is an affiliate link. We may earn commission on purchases made through this link.)
Gather Materials:
It can be helpful to trim the paper so that you're not working with extra bulk.
Put the template on the garment or fabric and position it where you'd like it to go.
Poke through the center and mark it with your favorite marking tool (an air-erase pen is used here). Then, mark the horizontal and vertical axis lines.
Connect the horizontal points, and the vertical points.
Start Embroidering:
Then, when you're hooping the fabric and stabilizer, you can line up the horizontal and vertical axis lines with the markings on the hoop.
Attach the hoop to the machine and move the hoop so that the needle is right over that center point; then embroider the design.
By using a paper template, you'll be able to put the design where you want, each and every time.
The demonstration above uses a sweatshirt, but you can use this same technique for any embroidery project, whether you are embellishing skirts, tablecloths, bath towels, kitchen towels, aprons, blankets, or curtains.
Using templates is also helpful if you're putting two more more designs onto a garment or item. Just print a template for each design and arrange on the item. Mark the axis lines and center points for each design.
