Search
Trending Now: Mama T-Shirts and Sweatshirts
I’m sure by now you have seen the plethora of “Mama” embroidered shirts and sweatshirts sweeping social media and clothing boutiques. As a Designs By JuJu fanatic, I knew that I could embroider some of my own pieces.
Today, I will showcase four variations of the popular MAMA sweatshirt, using numerous fabulous fonts and designs offered by DBJJ, as well as a step-by-step tutorial for creating your own customizable piece with curved text around the neckline. Since many of these designs are created using DBJJ fonts, you have the capability to personalize your own pieces with any name you would like (Mimi, Gigi, Mini, Dad, Papa, etc.). The possibilities are endless!
Supplies
Check out the DBJJ team’s favorite supplies in the Designs by Juju Amazon Store.
- Sweatshirt/T-shirt
- Cut-away stabilizer
- Fusible mesh cut-away stabilizer (Design #4)
- Onesie & Heat-n-Bond® Lite (Design #3)
- Embroidery-safe spray adhesive (Design #4)
- Embroidery thread
- Optional: Embrilliance Embroidery Software (Embrilliance is not required to make any of these designs, but it does allow for easy customizations and overall design layout.)
- DBJJ designs
Design #1: Floral Text
Using a floral alphabet such as English Garden Monogram or Candace Monogram adds a delicate and feminine touch to traditional text word art. You can further enhance the design by adding in an “est. (year)” or even a sleeve detail with your children’s or grandchildren’s names.
Design #2: Checkered Mama
Available in three sizes (5x7, 6x10, and 8x8), the Checkered Mama design was a quick and easy stitch out for my Mama t-shirt. I chose a variegated thread for the checkered background and a neon pink for the Mama stitch. This design would be fabulous on many other items, including totes and blankets.
Design Variation - Do you prefer applique instead? You can use the Checkered Mama design to create a bean stitch applique to add depth and texture to your project.
Step 1: Start by stitching the first color stop (checkerboard pattern). Once it is stitched, you will have an outline in the middle where your MAMA letters will be.
Step 2: Cut a piece of fabric large enough to generously cover the MAMA and iron Heat-n-Bond® Lite to the back of your fabric.
Step 3: Place your fabric on top of the checkerboard, making sure the MAMA outline is completely covered, and stitch color stop two (MAMA). This stitch is a beautiful decorative stitch that will tack down your fabric.
Step 4: Once you have completed your stitching, trim around the lettering, making sure to leave ⅛” seam allowance. Avoid trimming between the letters along the bottom. Check out this video if you have never tried bean stitch applique. It details tips and tricks for this fun and unique raw-edge applique style.
Design #3: Onesie/Blanket Applique
It’s time to dig out the box of old baby clothes and mementos. For this design, you will upcycle your favorite onesie, hospital blanket, or even hospital hat to create a beautiful Mama sweatshirt. Over the years, we all have saved something special from the early years of our children’s or grandchildren’s lives. Now you can commemorate those special moments by using a small amount of fabric from the pieces you have selected. Like the Floral Text design shown above, you can add additional text such as “est. (year)” or your children’s names.
Design #4: Curved-Neck Text
The curved-neck text trend is aesthetically pleasing with its simplicity and clean design. I am excited to make many more items using this technique! This design is a quick stitch out but does require some patience and trial and error in preparation.
I would highly recommend using Embrilliance Embroidery Software to assist you with the design process. The tutorial below outlines the steps I used to create a “mama” curved-neck text T-shirt.
Step 1: Open Embrilliance Embroidery Software (I use Essentials.)
Step 2: Using the text feature, choose a font and size appropriate for your text and type out your word art. I am using 1.25” Starlight Embroidery Font - SKU: DBJJ2934.
Step 3: Adjust the settings on the Letters Properties section to fit your text/neckline. I adjusted the letter spacing and radius (138 degrees). This will take some trial and error depending on the shape of your neckline and the font you have selected. I also rotated my design 75 degrees to fit into my hoop for easier stitching and placement.
Step 4: Print two copies of your design. Embrilliance will automatically print grid lines on your design. This will be extremely handy as you line up your design on your garment.
Step 5: Trim around your text, making sure to avoid the grid lines. Decide where you would like your text placement around the neckline of your shirt and secure in place using tape or pins.
Step 6: Flip your garment inside out. Using a sewing pin, poke a small hole through the middle crosshair of your design through to the inside of the garment.
Step 7: Use a permanent marker to extend and darken the grid lines on the second copy of the design printout. Place the crosshair of the design face down on the inside of the garment and line it up with the copy on the outside of the garment.
Step 8: Place a small piece of fusible mesh stabilizer over the design and trace the crosshairs onto the stabilizer. Gently remove the needle and design printout, being careful not to move the stabilizer. Iron the fusible mesh stabilizer in place.
Step 9: Hoop cut-away stabilizer. Draw grid lines onto the stabilizer with a washable pen to mark the horizontal and vertical midline.
Step 10: Align the gridlines of the fusible mesh stabilizer with the gridlines on the cut-away stabilizer. Adhere using machine embroidery–safe spray adhesive.
Pro-tip: If you hold your hoop up to a bright light, you should be able to see all of your gridlines from the underside. Make sure they align. If you see multiple grid lines, the design is not lined up correctly.
Step 11: Secure the remaining garment fabric out of the stitch path and place your hoop on your machine. Run an outline test to make sure the stitch path looks accurate and all excess garment fabric is out of the way.
Step 12: Gently remove the taped design and stitch your word art.
Step 13: Unhoop your project, clean up any excess stabilizer and threads, and admire your beautiful work!
We can’t wait to see what you create using the design techniques showcased today. Don't forget to share your creations with us on social media using #designsbyjuju!
