Every surface embroidery starts with the lines on the fabric. The method depends on how light the fabric is, whether it will be washed, and how much detail the design has. Size the design first with the transfer scale tool so the printed drawing already fits the hoop with clear fabric around it.
Tracing against light
On light cotton or linen, tape the printed design to a window or a light pad, tape the fabric over it and trace with a water-erasable pen or a fine heat-erasable pen. Quick and accurate for line designs. Water-erasable ink comes out with a rinse; heat-erasable ink disappears under the iron but can reappear in the cold, so it suits pieces that will be washed anyway.
Iron-on transfer pencil
Trace the design onto tracing paper with a transfer pencil, then iron the paper face down onto the fabric. The line is permanent, so it must be covered by stitching, and the design comes out mirrored: flip lettering before tracing. Works on dark and heavy fabric where tracing is not possible.
Water-soluble stabiliser
Print or draw the design on a sheet of water-soluble stabiliser (sold as sticky-backed sheets that go through an inkjet printer), stick it to the fabric and stitch straight through it. When the stitching is done, soak the piece and the sheet dissolves. The best method for felt, dark fabric, towelling and knits, and for photo fill maps with many colour regions.
Tissue-paper tacking
Trace the design onto tissue paper, tack the paper to the fabric with running stitch along every line, then tear the paper away. Old-fashioned but leaves no ink at all, so it is used on silk and on pieces that will not be washed. The tacking stitches are removed as you cover them.
Which to use
| Fabric | Best method |
|---|---|
| Light cotton, linen, evenweave | Tracing with an erasable pen |
| Dark or heavy cotton, denim, twill | Transfer pencil or stabiliser |
| Felt, towelling, knits | Water-soluble stabiliser |
| Silk, sateen, pieces that stay unwashed | Tissue-paper tacking |
Whatever the method, test it on a corner of the same fabric first: some pens leave a faint line on some dyes, and a test corner shows it before the design does.