9 Easy Cap Embroidery Tips from Eagle Digitizing to Perfect Your Stitches

Hats are not hard. When you know how to use them and follow the rules that make no difference when you use them, they become easy. Eagle Digitizing will teach you nine rules of simple hat embroidery so that you can get over them quickly and easily!

Make sure your design is the right size for the bottle cap! Embroidered designs on standard hats should not exceed 2.10 inches high, if you are using a low profile hat make sure to stay within the 2 inch limit. If you follow that rule, you'll have fewer problems and better results! Twisted Cap Embroidery

If your design has a long line of text at the bottom, keep your design within 2 inches, even if it's not a low profile hat. If the bottom line of the letter is too low on the lid, it will pull up and twist.

When you loop the hat, make sure the lid is facing really tightly tucked under the lip of the lid frame unit, and that the metal strap is tight and stays on the front where the brim and hat are sewn together.

Use the clip on the side of the cover. Many embroiderers don't use clips and wonder why the embroidery doesn't stay in register or why the cap moves! This is extremely important as you want a high quality finished design.

Make sure the bottom of the design is at least a half inch from the metal band on the cover hoop frame where the cover front and brim are sewn together. Some hats have very rigid bottoms with several layers of fabric and sides sewn together. If you get too close, it will be distorted.

For best results, always start designing from the bottom up and from the center out. For better registration, if possible, complete one section of the design before moving on to the next. Finished Hat Embroidery

Always use a hat backing when you loop your hat no matter how heavy or stiff your hat is. This will also help produce a higher quality embroidery design on your hat. I've found the 3 oz tear-off lid backing to be the best option.

When you first start sewing your design, walk the machine around until it fits through the center seam. This will help keep the needle from deflecting and breaking or getting stuck in the center where all the fabric layers and bakram are stitched together. What does it mean to walk? Place your finger on the Start button and let it squirm until you're past that center point.

I use a 70/10 Sharp needle for all my hats, but sometimes on very stiff hats a heavier needle like a 75/100 Sharp will work better, depending on the machine and cap frame.