How to Do Appliqué On Split-Front Jerseys Embroidery Project

The first thing you’ll need to do is get lettering from a supplier such as Dalco or Stahls’. These companies provide a sew disk and the appliqué pieces that are custom cut to your customer’s team name.

For instance, if you’re making split-front jerseys for a team called the Indians, just let the supplier know this information along with an important measurement: the space between the jersey’s buttons.

Most jerseys have a button at the top, a large space, and then a second button. Because you’ll place the lettering in this space, the supplier must know its size. You also must measure between the second button and the third (if the jersey has these buttons), because the lettering most likely will have a tail, which wraps between the second and third button.

You also need to be aware of the size spread within an order. If sizes range from age 6 to 15, you need to use the size 6 as your basis so it will fit on all the shirts. You won’t normally have that problem because baseball teams are generally grouped in three-year spans such as ages 6 to 8 and 13 to 15.

Suppliers can provide lettering in either one or two colors, depending on what your customer wants. Script names are usually made from twill, which is extremely stable. Many suppliers sell only in groups of 10, so if you need a dozen, you have to order 20. I usually pass this cost along to the customer, who can save the additional script names for fill-ins.

It’s nice to have an extra appliqué script name to use for placement. If I do not have an extra appliqué, I sew out an outline on Pellon using the design disk so I have a template. I cut out that template and position it on the shirt before it’s put on the machine to make sure everything is where it needs to be. Each appliqué name has two pieces: a right side and a left side. I price split-front jerseys by stitch count and quantity and then I tack on additional $5 per shirt because they’re so labor intensive.

Step 1:

Place a grid on your hooping table. On top of the grid, place a jacket-back hooping frame and position it on the grid, making sure it is square. Then clamp the hooping frame to the table and the grid.

Step 2:

Take an extra appliqué piece or if you don’t have any extras, use the sew disk to create an outline of the appliqué piece on Pellon and cut that out to use as your template. Once you have the appliqué script name perfectly positioned between the buttons of the jersey, take a piece of tailor’s chalk to mark it. Note the chalk mark at the left edge of the star in the photo. This is your starting point.

Step 3:

In this photo, I’ve removed the template appliqué and you see only the starting point marked in chalk. The problem with the sew disk that comes with the appliqué is the starting point is the center of the design. You can’t run off the center of the design. I move the center to the edge using my editing program. If you don’t have editing, I would call the supplier and tell them you want it moved to the edge.

Step 4:

I use medium tearaway stabilizer and I spray it lightly with an adhesive. Then I line it up, make sure it’s square, and hoop it all together. To make sure it’s square, once the shirt covers the grid, I make another line with the chalk to use as a reference to make sure that the edge of the shirt is lined up with the edge of the appliqué. I hoop the right side, and then I hoop the left side. I use a 30mm by 30mm hoop.

I always do the right side first because it has to go on the edge and it’s easier to position than the left. The appliqué on the left side, which is underneath the right does not go to the edge. When you lay the left piece down, make sure the overlap is correct. That is usually about an inch off the left edge of the shirt.

Step 5:

Then you go to the machine. I start where my chalk mark is made. Position the chalk mark under the needle. Run the outline stitch as shown. This is the top side of the jersey.

Step 6:

Place the appliqué piece within the outline and tack it down. Next, run the outline stitch for the second color if there is one.

Step 7:

Put down your second color appliqué inside the outline stitch and tack that down.

Step 8:

Repeat the above process for the left side and you’re done.

Some of the problems you might encounter is having the shirt fall out of the hoop. Make sure your hoop is taut. Jerseys are usually pretty flimsy, which is why I like to use a little adhesive spray to hold the stabilizer firmly against the fabric so it doesn’t bubble. Sometimes, the pressure foot might catch the fabric and make a pleat. The spray holds everything nice and flat.

The most important step is the hooping. It is important to get it straight because if you hoop it crooked, then your appliqué is crooked. Using the grid, you can eyeball it and make sure it’s straight.

If you’ve never done a split front before, I would make sure you have one or two extras to practice on before sewing an actual jersey.