Full back embroidery size

A back design is the largest placement on most garments, and home-machine hoop charts show it. One retailer chart points to a 6 × 10 in hoop for a custom design on the back of a denim jacket, an 8 × 12 in hoop for a full jacket back, and a 9.5 × 14 in hoop for intricate jacket back art. An 8 × 12 in hoop stitches about 7.8 × 11.8 in (200 × 300 mm) and a 9.5 × 14 in hoop about 9.4 × 14.1 in (240 × 360 mm). Baby Lock calls its 9.5 × 14 in hoop a fit for jacket backs. A back design wider than about 9.4 in (239 mm) needs a split design, a multi-position hoop or a machine with a larger frame, so check your own field in the manual.

Placement is measured from the back collar. One guide centers a design or lettering anywhere from 6 to 9 in (152 to 229 mm) down from the collar seam. A trade magazine article says placement guides put a jacket back design 7 to 10 in (178 to 254 mm) down from the neck, and that it varies with design size and jacket style. A placement chart gives 9 to 10 in (229 to 254 mm) down from the back collar seam for a jacket back. For a shirt back, the same chart gives 5 in (127 mm) from the collar, and 3 in (76 mm) on smaller sizes. The guides do not all say whether the number is the top or the center of the design, so mark the point and check how the whole design sits. Smaller and children's garments need a smaller design placed higher, and we did not find a published width chart for them.

Big back designs are harder to hoop and take a long time to run. A trade article says jackets, especially thick ones, are always a challenge to hoop. It suggests hooping them upside down, because the waist opening is bigger than the neck opening, and using a hoop larger than the design needs. If the jacket is thick, small, or made of leather, vinyl or suede, or if seams are in the way, float it: hoop only the stabilizer, mark it, and stick the jacket on top. For a medium or heavy design, baste a square of long stitches around the inside of the hoop. Avoid thick seams where you can, because embroidery struggles to stitch over them.

Stabilizer depends on the garment. A trade article says a sheet of tear-away is enough for a lightweight jacket, little or none is needed on a thick jacket, and cutaway is needed for stretchy knit jackets. A project guide recommends medium-weight cutaway for denim and other medium or heavy fabrics, or for medium and heavy designs. On a lighter jacket with a light design, it suggests lightweight cutaway or a heavy water-soluble stabilizer. A T-shirt or other knit back needs cutaway, because a big design pulls on stretchy fabric.