Personalize Your Beach Towels with Easy Embroidery Tips

Embroidering a towel is a simple and creative way to add a personal touch to your beach gear. Whether you're monogramming your name, adding fun summer designs, or customizing gifts, this step-by-step guide will show you how to embroider towels with ease. Learn the best stabilizers to use, hooping techniques for thick fabrics, and tips for machine embroidery that lasts, even after multiple washes. Perfect for beginners and experienced stitchers alike!

TOOLS/ACCESSORIES

Mosaic Fish embroidery
Tweezers recommended
Large metal hoop optional

MATERIALS:

Beach towel
Embroidery thread
A bobbin for each color
Water-soluble stabilizer
Adhesive water-soluble stabilizer
Light water-soluble topper stabilizer

Step 1: Wash and dry your towel.

Step 2: Hoop water soluble stabilizer. If using a metal hoop, adhere the water-soluble stabilizer to the back of the hoop.

Step 3: Load the design to your machine.

Note, if you are using a different design, make sure the design uses satin and fill stitches. Fine details will not show on towels due to the loft.

Step 4: Thread the top and bobbin with the first color. Using the same color in the bobbin instead of bobbin thread makes the design equally visible from both sides. You can see below the difference between the bobbin thread in the eye compared to the rest of the fish.

Step 5: Attach your hoop and select the option to baste around the hoop.
If using a metal hoop, place your towel over the hoop, place the topper stabilizer over the towel, and secure with the magnets and skip to step 7.

Step 6: When the hoop is attached, place the towel and topper over the hoop. Stitch the basting stitch to attach the towel and topper to the hooped stabilizer. This is called “floating” the embroidered project.

Step 7:  Now you are ready to stitch. The Mosaic Fish design has appliqué elements. If you want to include the appliqué select a cotton fabric for these areas. If you want to skip the appliqué pieces like the example you can simply skip to the next color. 

Step 8: When you get to a new thread color, make sure you change the bobbin thread as well.                                  

Step 9: When the embroidery is complete, remove as much excess stabilizer as possible with scissors from the back and remove the topper by lifting with hands or tweezers.

Step 10: Remove any other excess stabilizer with warm water.