Why does my fabric wrinkle after embroidery?

The most common reasons fabric wrinkles after embroidery are insufficient stabilizer, loose or improper hooping, a design that is too dense, fabric movement, or the wrong stabilizer for the material.

Not enough stabilizer
Stabilizer supports the fabric while the embroidery is being stitched. Without enough support, the stitches can pull the fabric together and leave wrinkles around the design.

Wrong stabilizer
Different fabrics need different levels of support. Lightweight, stretchy, or loosely woven fabrics may need more stabilization than sturdy fabrics. Choose a stabilizer that matches the fabric and design.

Fabric was stretched in the hoop
Avoid pulling the fabric tightly to make it look smooth. When stretched fabric is removed from the hoop, it can relax and create wrinkles around the embroidery.

Fabric is too loose in the hoop
Fabric that moves during stitching can become distorted and wrinkled. Make sure the fabric and stabilizer are secure and smooth in the hoop.

Design is too dense
A design with a large number of stitches can pull the fabric toward the center of the embroidery. Dense designs are more likely to cause puckering and wrinkles, especially on lightweight fabrics.

Fabric is stretchy
Stretchy materials can easily distort under embroidery. Use appropriate stabilization and avoid stretching the fabric while hooping.

Thread tension is too tight
Excessive thread tension can pull the stitches tightly and cause the surrounding fabric to wrinkle. Check your upper-thread tension and test on scrap fabric.

Design was resized too much
Resizing an embroidery design can affect stitch spacing and density. Excessive resizing may cause the design to pull the fabric differently than intended.

Best tip: If your fabric wrinkles after embroidery, check the stabilizer and hooping first. Use the correct amount of support for the fabric, keep the material smooth rather than stretched in the hoop, and test the design on scrap fabric before stitching the final project.

Source of information: With over 200,000 customers and a private Facebook group with more than 2,000 members, we have heard just about every embroidery question and troubleshooting problem you can imagine. This question has come to us directly from customers by email, through our Facebook page, and in our private Facebook group.

Have another question? See all the answers in our machine embroidery designs FAQ.