Have you ever noticed how a monogram makes everything cuter? Adding a simple three-letter monogram is easy yet gives a project a personalized touch. Follow below, and I’ll show you how to monogram initials with an embroidery machine. 

I’m monogramming a simple white infant bodysuit from Hobby Lobby, using one of my favorite monogram fonts, Vine Interlocking Monogram from Designs by Juju (DBJJ704). I’m using the four-inch font on a 12-18 month bodysuit.  

First, you’ll need to configure the initials in the correct order using your embroidery software. For a traditional feminine monogram, the order is fLm (first, LAST, middle), with the center initial being larger.  I’m doing the initials cGr, which would be the monogram for Chelsea Rae Goode.

For a masculine monogram, you can either do a Stacked Monogram (such as Designs by Juju’s Stacked Monogram Alphabet – DDBJ856), or you can do the three initials all in the same size in the order FML (first, middle, last).

I like to print the monogram out on paper and lay it on top of the bodysuit to determine where the best placement of the monogram is. Printing it out on paper first allows me not only to see where the best placement is but also saves mesh if it needs to be resized or you want to change the layout.

To prepare the bodysuit for embroidery, I iron a fusible cutaway poly mesh stabilizer to the back of the bodysuit.  The poly mesh allows the stabilizer to be there from the beginning of the project and makes it easier to keep your project where you want it.

When I embroider, I prefer to float the item to be embroidered. Floating means I hoop the tearaway stabilizer and then use 505 temporary adhesive spray to secure the item to the stabilizer. Below is each part of the process I described to give you a visual aid.

I also pin it around the edges of the mesh to ensure it is secure. Make sure the design is straight and centered in the hoop.  

Now, you’re ready to take it to the embroidery machine. Attach your hoop to the device, select your thread color, and begin embroidering.

After the embroidery is finished, remove the tearaway stabilizer from the back and cut away the poly mesh stabilizer close to the design. 

Then iron a soft covering to the back, such as Cloud Cover, so the garment isn’t itchy. 

It’s that simple! And it’s so much cuter than a plain white onesie! You can use this same method for monogramming many items to personalize gifts and your items.

Andrea Bowditch

Andrea Bowditch

I originally learned to applique many years ago from my Aunt, using pictures from coloring books as the design, cutting fabric in the appropriate shapes, and sewing around the shapes using a zigzag stitch. I bought my first embroidery machine around 1995. Thankfully, embroidery machines have come a long way since then. I bought my second embroidery machine in 2013, and have grown my inventory of machines since then. I retired about four years ago from my career as a Certified Public Accountant, giving me time to embroider and pursue other hobbies. My favorite people to embroider for are my four grandchildren and two new grandchildren that will be born in 2024.