Embroider caps with Melco embroidery machines

Embroidering caps can be a particular challenge. Each brand and type of cap can be very different: Caps’ panels are cut differently; caps come in a variety of fabrics; and front panels are backed and constructed in different ways. All these factors make it difficult to develop a cap system that is suitable for all caps and produces exactly the same results. Overcoming this challenge requires expertise in two areas: Digitization and machine operation.

Digitize

A pattern that has been digitized for an application on the left side of the chest is not necessarily suitable for a cap. This is because the decails of a particular design may not be suitable for a suspended, curved cap frame. Embroidering caps is a particular challenge due to the different cap constructions and requires careful consideration of the design elements. Some design elements that work well for left chest applications, such as small details or fine lines, may not transfer well to a cap. Therefore, it is important to have expertise in digitizing to ensure that the design is suitable for the specific cap application.

  • Fill stitching-Thisone stitching element exerts the greatest amount of linear pull on the fabric. One simple way to minimize this pull is to choose a stitch direction that runs parallel to the narrowest dimension of the fill. For example, if the fill area is a 1″ x 4″ rectangle, the narrowest dimension is the 1″ dimension. Choose the fill stitching to run parallel to this dimension.
  • Fill stitching on 6/4 caps (caps with a seam down the front) – When running a fill stitch over a front cap seam, DO NOT run the stitch parallel to this seam. Choose a slight diagonal angle for the best results. The use of a light-density, crossed, diagonal underlay will also help to support the top stitches.
  • Fill sectioning – How the fill is constructed can easily create puckering or gathering of fabric. A single fill area on a cap front should NEVER be sectioned. With today’s digitizing software, your chosen exit point will likely determine whether or not the fill area becomes sectioned into several pieces. Some shapes have to be sectioned by their nature. When this occurs, make sure the fill rows progress in the same direction to minimize any puckering.
  • To avoid registration problems, complete free-standing elements of a design with all colors before moving on to the next element.
  • To avoid distortion to lines or arches of lettering, always do them as the last elements.
  • Another trick is to build the elements of a design from the center of the design outward, alternating over the center seam. For example, if the design consisted of the numerals from 1 to 5, start by digitizing the numeral 3 first, then do the 4, then do the 2, then 5 and finally the numeral 1. The sequence 3,4,2,1,5 would also work.

Operation of the machine

The machine operator can do a lot to improve the runnability of the closures:

1) Needle selection – As a rule, finished baseball caps should only be used with sharp needles of size 75/11.

  • Sharp needles are necessary to minimize the possibility of needle rash and needle breakage due to buchram reinforcements, “fly swatter” reinforcements and center front seams. Even fine ball points can bend enough to cause unnecessary needle breakage.
  • Needles with a diameter of less than 0.75 mm (75/11) can easily bend under the tension of the thread. This bending (deflection) can then lead to the needle breaking.

2) Backing materials – Finished baseball caps come with a variety of backing materials for the front, as follows:

  • For unstructured caps, no backing material is used to reinforce the front of the cap. The only additional material that can be used is the polyester tape used to finish the back of the center seam of the cap. Without a suitable backing to stabilize the fabric, the stitches will pull and pucker. Suppliers of embroidery backings offer a special backing for caps. It comes pre-cut to a width of about 4″ and can be purchased as a roll or cut to lengths of about 12″. The composition of this backing contains more paper or cardboard to stiffen the “feel” of the product. This composition gives the cap front the structure for the embroidery process.
  • Textured caps are made from a fused material such as Buchram or Pelon, which is applied to the back of the front panel to stiffen the material. Depending on the design elements, this cap can also be embroidered with little or no stabilizer. If the design has many filling seams, the above-mentioned cap support may be necessary.

3) Framing techniques – Most cap frames are supplied with a device that holds the cap frame in place during framing.

This is an important tool. It is usually clamped to the edge of a worktable and should be ergonomically positioned at a height that accommodates our forearms when horizontal. This fixture is usually designed with a curved surface to emulate the sewing plane when the cap frame is in the machine. If the cap is not structured or the design has a lot of filling stitches, some manufacturers include “buffalo clips” that can be attached to the back of the cap to hold the front firmly against the sewing machine. If the cap is structured (usually a fused bookram or heavy pelon backing), these clamps can be omitted to speed up production.

4) Thread feed (tension) – The last piece of this puzzle is the correct thread feed (tension) for the finished closures:

  • For machines that use tension knobs, the knobs must first be properly balanced to achieve even thread tension. Once this is done, finished caps usually require a slightly higher thread tension than flat applications. Some machines may also require a slightly higher bobbin tension.
  • For the MELCO machine that uses an Acti-Feed system, a minor adjustment may also be necessary. You can start with the automatic feed settings when performing caps. If you notice thread or needle breakage, you should use the manual settings. Remember to compensate for more layers of fabric when sewing on a cap front. This means more stitch depth and therefore slightly more feed than when sewing a left breast appliqué.
Find out more about embroidery with the EMT16X

Final considerations

One last thought on embroidering caps: Embroider the front and side panels in one pass. Although the hoop has been designed to embroider on a horizontal plane that theoretically covers 270 degrees of hoop rotation, the actual sewing field may be limited. Again, it depends on the construction of the particular hat whether you can comfortably hoop that particular type of hat and effectively embroider the side panels in the same pass. If the embroidery motif and the cap design allow it, you should definitely do it. If you cannot turn the sweatband at the point where it is sewn to the adjustment strap, you should consider another option for this application. Sew the front as usual and then finish the sides with another frame system designed by Fast Frames, either the clamp model or the model that uses an adhesive backing.

Once you have learned to work with this unique medium, you will achieve excellent results with minimal extra effort.