Chenille Embroidery: the Embroidery Process Embroidery Project

Sports is big business in America. From the pros to college to high school, there is plenty of action and hordes of fans. And all of this frenzy paves the way for lots of promotion and recognition on a large scale. In fact, it really all begins at the high school level with the letterman jacket. It’s an instant symbol of achievement in sports and a very coveted item for any teenage athlete. But it’s not so much the jacket as it is the large fuzzy letter sewn on the left chest. Amazingly this bundle of yarns with the consistency of shag carpet is a status symbol of epic proportions. Welcome to the world of chenille embroidery.

Chenille is quite different from traditional embroidery, though it is very complementary, as many designs actually combine both applications. Chenille is sewn using a special machine that feeds yarns up through the bottom in such a way as to create a raised textured surface that resembles carpet. Though it’s called chenille embroidery, the sewing process has very little resemblance to the embroidery sewing process. (And there is no bobbin to run out when you aren’t looking!!!!)

Another characteristic that makes chenille different from traditional embroidery is that most of the work is NOT done directly on the garment. Instead, the design is applied to a fabric background called scrim felt, which is then manually cut out and sewn to the garment like a patch. Typically, the scrim felt is mounted in a large frame so that multiple designs can be sewn in one hooping. This maximizes the production process while minimizing waste of the scrim felt material. Upon completion of sewing, the operator removes the scrim felt from the frame and begins the most critical aspect of the process. Using special scissors, the operator trims away excess scrim from around each design in parallel with the outer edges, while leaving a small portion of fabric to allow a stitching surface for sewing it onto a garment. Essentially, they are creating a patch with the chenille design being the centerpiece. And since chenille is almost never done directly on the garment, this leads to the final step of the process – attaching the patch to the garment. This can be done by hand or by using a regular sewing machine. Another option is to treat the chenille patch like an appliqué, and apply it to the garment using a standard embroidery machine.

Chenille is also different from traditional embroidery in the fact that stock designs and keyboard lettering are practically nonexistent. (It should be noted that Pulse Microsystems recently begin offering some chenille keyboard lettering fonts.) Thus, a chenille embroiderer must learn to digitize for chenille.

Unlike traditional embroidery, which has a huge support system, chenille embroidery is such a small segment of the imprinted sportswear industry that it’s virtually overlooked. Everything about the sewing process is different, from needles to yarns (not threads - and it’s sold by the pound instead of by the cone) to application. There are few suppliers and limited resources. While all of this may sound like a reason to avoid chenille, it’s really a compelling reason to pursue it. Because chenille is not very predominant, it has a lot of real growth possibilities. The current demand for unique products and applications within the imprinted sportswear industry is growing in leaps and bounds, thus the chenille option is starting to receive a lot more attention.