How to Embroider a Terry Cloth Robe
Few things are as cozy and calming as slipping into a fuzzy terry cloth robe after a warm bath or long shower. If you adore your soft cotton robe, consider personalizing it with a charming embroidered pattern or monogram!
Embroidering a terry cloth is easier than you may think, and you can use this article as a guide. Keep reading to learn how to embroider a terry cloth bathrobe.
What Is Terry Cloth?
Terry cloth is a woven fabric with protruding loops that can absorb substantial amounts of water, making terry cloth ideal for towels and bathrobes. It’s a cotton fabric, so it’s soft and supple while still affordable and easy to care for. Fancy terry cloth robes may be infused with linen, polyester, or silk fibers. It’s one of the most absorbent and commonly used fabrics.
Machine Embroidery Vs. Hand Embroidery
The steps below are applicable whether you choose to machine or hand embroider the robe.
The main difference is that hand embroidery gives you more freedom with stitches, thread, and fabrics, while machine embroidery is faster and more uniform and polished. Machine embroidery is also better if you want to make multiple pieces identical. But either way, you can follow the steps below.
Steps for Embroidering a Terry Cloth Robe
Without further ado, follow the comprehensive steps below to embroider your terry cloth robe.
- Choose the Right Design
First, you need to choose the perfect design for your bathrobe. Consider how large you want the embroidery to be, and try to visualize it on the bathrobe. You may want to do a massive piece on the back of the robe or a smaller design on one of the breasts of the robe, such as a monogram.
We recommend opting for a more substantial design as smaller designs can get lost in the high pile of terry cloth. Anything smaller than a 3x3-inch design may be hard to see and appreciate. However, if this is your first time embroidering terry cloth, try not to bite off more than you can chew with a 10-inch+ design.
- Float Robe for Embroidery
Because terry cloth is thick, hooping it can be hard. It’s not impossible to hoop terry cloth, but we recommend floating it because it’s easier to manage. Also, forcing your cozy robe into the hoop can warp it.
Floating means you hoop the stabilizer and then stick the robe against the stabilizer on the hoop. So, the stabilizer is in the hoop, but the robe just floats on top. An adhesive-backed tear-away stabilizer is our top choice for embroidering terry cloth.
- Position the Design Center on the Robe
Now, you need to place the design on the robe in the perfect position. Determine where on your robe you want the design, then, draw a cross on your stabilizer inside the hoop to determine the precise center.
We suggest using a ruler to do this. You can make a very small mark on the robe that you want to be the center of the embroidered design. You can also use a pin to do this if you don’t want to make any marks. Aligning the center of your design area with the center of the hoop can be tricky, so take your time.
The best way to do it is to fold the robe so the center of the designated design area is directly on the crease. Then, align that center point with the cross intersection you drew on the stabilizer inside the hoop.
Line up the crease fold with either the horizontal or vertical line, depending on which part of the robe you plan to embroider. Unfold the robe so it lays flat against the stabilizer and both center points line up.
- Float a Water Soluble Topper on the Robe
To create a lovely continuous stitch, float a water-soluble topper over the robe. Place the topper with the smooth side up to ensure it does not bunch up while you stitch the design. You can also use tulle as a topper! Once you finish stitching, the tulle can be gently torn away.
Technically, this step is optional, but we highly recommend it, as skipping this topper can cause the robe piles to show through the embroidered design.
- Stitch the Pattern
Finally, you can stitch the pattern onto the robe. Place the hoop, robe, and topper in your embroidery machine and align the needle with your center point. Remove the pin if you used one. Take your time positioning the robe in the machine.
Ensure it’s straight and stretched out gently to avoid a tiled design or bunched stitch. Stitch the pattern. You may be doing this by hand, but it’s more likely that you are using a machine with preset embroidery patterns. And voila! Your robe has a beautiful design on it.
- Finish and Clean Up the Stitching
Once the stitch is done, remove it from the machine and tear away the topper. Tear away as much adhesive backing as possible without damaging the design. You can spray the back and front of the robe with water so the topper dissolves and the stabilizer comes off more easily.
After you spritz the robe, let the water sit and soak for a few minutes before removing the topper or backing. Use a nipper to trim all your jump stitches and clean up any loose threads. You can skip this if the design looks polished enough.
Terry Cloth Embroidery Ideas
Once you learn to embroider terry cloth, you can embroider a range of items! If you love your embroidered robe, consider embroidering the following items:
- Beach Towels: You can monogram or add cute designs to beach towels, which make excellent gifts for kids or beach bums.
- Bath Towels: Personalized bath towels are a lovely idea that can spruce up your bathroom and are a brilliant gift for new parents!
- Hand Towels: Monogrammed hand towels are cute and sophisticated, making them a wonderful present for newlyweds.
You can use the same steps from this article to embroider all the terry cloth items above!
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to embroider a terry cloth bathrobe, you can personalize your own and maybe other household members’ robes too! You can elevate all your terry cloth items with adorable patterns and elegant monograms.
