So, you are in the process of embroidering a garment, and you realize that you have made a huge mistake! How do you remove the embroidery without destroying the entire garment? Here are three ways to do so!
1. The Seam Ripper Method
First, turn the garment inside out so you can see the embroidery clearly. If you are working with a hand-embroidered item, put it back on the loop.
Use the seam ripper to cut the stitches. Don’t rip all of them at once. Put the seam ripper under a group of stitches and lift it at an angle to tear them.
Turn the garment right side out. Notice that the stitches are now loose.
Use a darning needle to lift the stitches, and then remove them using a pair of tweezers or your hands. If you notice that a stitch is not coming out, turn the garment inside out and rip that section again.
Repeat this process until you have removed all the embroidery.
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2. The Embroidery Eraser Method
An embroidery eraser, also known as a stitch eraser, is ideal for removing professional quality embroidery, such as logos on shirts, caps, and jackets, and not hand-embroidered items. Once you purchase your eraser, follow these easy steps.
Turn the garment inside out to reveal the back side of the embroidery. The embroidery is usually thinner at the back, and therefore easier to cut off. Tear off the stabilizer as well.
Gently push the eraser one inch across the stitching. Dig the blades right into the threads, as you tilt the eraser like a shovel. If you are removing a logo, move the eraser width-wise across each letter.
Lift up the eraser and move on to the next section, working your way across the embroidery.
Turn the garment right side out and remove the stitches by hand.
Use a seam ripper or darning needle to raise the remaining threads for easy plucking. Also, dragging a fingernail slowly across the smaller stitches as you scrape them off works well.
Repeat this process for every section until all the embroidery is gone. Use a lint roller (or masking tape) to remove remnants of the thread on your garment.
3. Removal of Stitch Marks
Embroidery usually leaves some deep stitch marks that are removed using the following process.
Iron the front side of your garment using the correct heat setting.
Place the garment on a hard surface like a table, then rub your fingernail (or the tip of a spoon) with horizontal strokes across the stitch marks. Do this two or three times, then repeat the process using vertical strokes. This method ensures that the holes created by the stitch removal are covered. The holes do not disappear overnight, though, so be patient.
Be extra careful when rubbing silk so that you don’t break the threads
Iron the garment again, after which you may repeat the process if the holes are still gaping.
Don’t overdo the scraping process – two to three times is sufficient for each round.
Now that you are all set to remove embroidery from your garment, remember to carry out this process from the inside out so that the fabric is not damaged. Good luck!