There are always some things on which the experts might agree to
disagree. One of those things is “To clip or not between letters.” This does
not have a hard and fast rule, but some considerations might be brought to the
surface.
I do bridal hankies at Etsy. I have done so since 2001 (WOW), I think I
have a little experience to share.
Your project and recipient will make the final
determination. Who is the recipient? If it is someone with tiny fingers,
babies, cutting the small ‘jump’ is a very good idea. One reason is they could
have a fingernail that has a ‘hanging chad’ that could catch those very small threads
causing issues such as pain, possibly bleeding, and just a nuisance to the caregiver.
A bride or bridal party recipient could catch a thread
on any number of things including, but not limited to rings, jewelry, and bling
of all sorts. Anyone who has attempted to dislodge an inappropriate entanglement
knows this is a challenge.
· Wearables like jeans and knit tops certainly do need trimming.
Fingernails can catch on just about anything. The damage to a knit garment
could be quite serious. Fancy items usually require the finished look as well.
· If you observe some puckering, trimming those stitches
can help if they are close enough to the wrinkle.
·
If the wording is
going into something like a wall hanging or placed into an enclosed frame, cutting
these ‘jumpettes’ would be unnecessary.
In my personal experiences, I have found a couple of tips.
ü Always trim the thread from the back of your project first. It makes the front clipping much easier. I prefer to
clip while the design is still in the hoop.
ü For small jumps, a single cut is usually sufficient
both back and front. But if it is more than ¼” (6mm), it is best to clip at
both needle points but should not too be close to the needle puncture.
ü If you are working with the hoop removed, you can actually
feel the fabric move ever so slightly. Try it for yourself, it is astounding
that a small jump can, in fact, cause the fabric to shrink.
ü
It is a good idea
to make those backside threads trimmed, including the tie-off ends, for a more professional workmanship
appearance.
The Freebie this time has something different, it is called a ‘smash’
or ‘knockdown.’ These are normally used to tamp down fabrics that have a nap. This
would include suede, terry cloth or furs, and the like. It allows for the
lettering to stand out of the fabric’s depth. You can use the wording alone or
even the smash alone. I did the smash in two colors, but you could do a single color to match your background where it will mostly disappear.
Thank you for stopping by, I hope you and yours are all healthy and safe. Do something fun, like take a drive to an area you have never been to. See new things. Remember that we are still protecting our friends and loved ones from the Virus.