Embroidery 101: How To Trace Embroidery Patterns Onto Fabric
The simplest way to transfer an embroidery design onto the fabric is to trace through the fabric using a water soluble marker or heat erasable pen. It’s a really simple process once you get the hang of it. This quick tutorial will show you how to set up the fabric properly and share a bunch of helpful supplies and tips that work well for this method.
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How To Trace Embroidery Designs Onto Fabric
When To Use This Method
The tracing method works best with light to medium weight fabrics such as cotton or linen. It’s ideal to use for designs and line drawings that are relatively simple. For more elaborate designs or when you’re transferring designs to clothing or felt, consider using Super Solvy or Stick and Stitch.
Supplies Needed
- A pencil, pen, or marker (recommendations below)
- Tape
- Printed design
- Lightbox, drawing tablet, or a sunny window
- Embroidery hoop
- Embroidery fabric
Tracing Through Light Fabrics
Recommended Marking Tools
While you can use a pencil, it may be helpful to use a marking tool that is removable either by heat or water. Here are a few products that work really well.
- Leonis water soluble markers – Amazon
- Frixion heat erasable pens – Etsy
- Roxanne water soluble marking pencils – Colonial Needle
Always test out markers and pens on the fabric you plan to use before committing to using one!
- Place the fabric in the embroidery hoop. Make sure that the grain of the fabric lines up with the hardware on the top of the hoop.
- Tape the design to a light box or sunny window.
- Place the hoops so that the fabric is directly against the design.
- Trace the design onto the fabric.
Tracing Through Dark Fabrics
Dark fabrics can pose a special challenge because they can be hard to see through and some markers and pens won’t show up as well. Here are some helpful tips and products that make it easy.
Recommended Marking Tools
Chalk pencils and white marking pens are the best to use on darker fabrics. These are some of my favorites:
The steps for tracing are the same as with lighter fabrics with the exception of one thing.
It’s easier to trace designs through the fabric that are an inverted, meaning the background is black and the lines are white. Some embroidery patterns may come with this option, but if they don’t, there are several apps you can use to invert the design. Procreate and Photoshop have this capability as well as this free online tool.
Helpful Tips
- It’s easiest to trace through fabric that is under tension – either in a hoop or frame. This will properly stretch the fabric out making it easier to see through. It will also keep the fabric in place, which will lesson the chances of the design getting distorted.
- Aligning the fabric’s grainline parallel or perpendicular to the top hardware will make framing easier and result in a neater overall embroidery
- Avoid overstretching the fabric – make sure that the grain of the fabric looks even throughout the hoop before you trace.
- Make sure the hoop is tight – if you’re having trouble with the fabric slipping, check out some of these tips to keep the fabric tight in the hoop.
Now you’ll be a pro at transferring designs…the next step is embroidering your design. Check out this post all about some very handy embroidery tricks and this post that shares some tips for stitching neatly.
May your needle weave tales of nature’s whimsy…I hope you embrace the simple joys one stitch at a time!
Amanda is a hand embroidery teacher and artist. With over 15 years of experience in the craft industry and embroidery, she owns and runs Crewel Ghoul, sharing accessible tutorials and patterns to help inspire fellow crafters to get creative. In addition to running this website, she teaches on Skillshare and Youtube.
