Occasionally you may be working with a dense or very sheer fabric and experience what is called hoop burn. Sometimes it is just an impression left on the fabric, but some of them can be a real burn.
As previously noted, you can get the fantastic (IMHO) Snap-Hoop which you can read about in my blog about it. You cannot get hoop burn from these hoops, but until yours arrives, these are some ideas for you to use if you get hoop burn. Snap-Hoop is currently available for Bernina, Brother, Baby Lock and Viking. More hoops are being developed for other machines so watch for them.
This visual appearance happens when the grip of a hoop imprints or presses a fabric's fibers down leaving an impression after the hoop is removed.
Fabrics with a nap as minimal as that of a t-shirt are subject to burns. Terrycloth, velvet and leather are easily marred and must be cared for in a special manner.
First and foremost, remember to ‘float' your fabric above the hoop. As I demonstrated in my earlier blog, use an adhesive stabilizer, and my personal favorite is Ann's because of the value and the quality. You may like a different brand, but the important thing is that you purchase the best you can afford. It is like trying to use a wrench as a hammer. The 2nd best tool for the job may work, but for the best results, use the correct tool.
OK, let's say that you got the burn, what now? A small amount of water/moisture will usually fix the problem. I recommend using a Q-Tip or similar item that is not overly wet. Start out with less water, you can always add more. Rub the fabric against the lay of the nap and at the same time, roll your fabric between your fingers to encourage the nap back into position. Most napped fabric has been heat sealed in some way to keep the nap lofty, so rolling the fabric may be a good choice to coax the nap into place.
You may be able to simply put the fabric through the wash. That is not always possible for a variety of reasons. However, if you do so, check the burn before placing in the dryer because the dryer can and will ‘reset' the fabric into the burned position. Err on the side of caution.
Another possible remedy would be to use your spray and/or steam iron. I would not press the fabric but I would keep the steam on the burn area about 1" above the fabric. I would do that for about 60 second followed by fluffing with the nap of a wash cloth and check my results. This may have to be done multiple times. A few minutes of effort may just get the fabric back to its original nap.
I know that I have read multiple suggestions on the Internet including (but not limited to):
- Spray with a weak vinegar solution rather than plain water
- Use a light coat of spray sizing
- Spray a little spray starch
- Magic Sizing fabric finish
- Wrap the hoop with strips of adhesive cutaway
You may have an idea of your own, please add it to the comments area. We know that some things will work for one situation and not for another. This is a great time to share your idea!
NOTE: Due to technical difficulties, The Computerist blog did not have a link in last weeks blog links email. Since it has some important information (IMHO), you may want to check it out. It discusses Speeding Up Your Computer and Leather and Lace and Alphabet Xpress.