A template, or printout, of a design is an excellent tool to help with placement. Print a template of the design using an embroidery software.

We recommend Wilcom's Hatch software which comes in different levels depending on what you'd like to use the software for. Hatch Organizer works well to view your designs, print dielines and templates, change design colors, and create basic design layouts. (This is an affiliate link. We may earn commission on purchased made through this link.

Arrange the template on the back of the jacket until it is placed where you would like the embroidery to sew. It can be hard for embroidery to stitch over thick seams, so if possible place the design where it does not need to sew over the seams.

Using a fabric marking tool, mark the center point and horizontal and vertical axis lines of the design.

Connect and extend both the vertical & horizontal axis lines using a ruler and fabric marking tool. To make hooping easier, make sure to extend the lines larger than the size of the hoop.

Which stabilizer you use depends on both the thickness (or weight) of the jacket fabric and the density of the chosen embroidery design. 

If a jacket is made of a medium or heavy weight fabric like denim, it is best to use a medium-weight cutaway stabilizer. If the embroidery design is a medium or heavy density, it is also best to use a medium-weight cutaway stabilizer. 

If both the jacket fabric and the embroidery design are a lighter weight (or softer fabric), you can instead use a light-weight cutaway stabilizer like Sulky's Soft'n'Sheer or a heavy-weight water soluble stabilizer like Vilene.

There are two options for how to hoop your jacket for embroidery. The first option is actually hooping the jacket with the stabilizer between the two pieces of the hoop. 

However, sometimes actually hooping the jacket is not possible or the best option. For example, if the embroidery is positioned in a way that makes hooping the jacket awkward. Other examples can be due to seams being in the way, the jacket being too small, the jacket fabric being too thick, or if the fabric is one where hooping will leave permanent marks such as on leather, vinyl, or suede. In these cases, you want to use the second option where you only hoop the stabilizer and then "float" the jacket on top of the hooped stabilizer. To learn how to float the jacket, skip this step as well as the next step.

To hoop the jacket with the stabilizer, first cut a piece of the chosen stabilizer that is larger than the hoop. Spray one side with a temporary spray adhesive and smooth it into place on the inside of the jacket. Make sure to place it to cover the entire area that will be hooped , so both the jacket fabric and the stabilizer are hooped together along all four sides.

After the stabilizer is securely in place on the inside of the jacket, hoop the jacket and stabilizer together tightly, lining up the marks on the hoop with the drawn axis lines on the jacket. Lining up these marks with the marks on the hoop will ensure that the design will sew where intended and not be crooked.

If sewing along the bottom edge of the jacket, or another position where there is not enough jacket fabric to hoop completely, make sure the stabilizer is still getting hooped completely in all four sides and corners of the hoop, and it will still sew out alright. Then skip the next two steps on floating the design in the hoop and continue onto the embroidery step.

To float the jacket in the hoop, first hoop a piece of your chosen stabilizer. Make sure it is hooped tightly so there are no wrinkles in the stabilizer and it doesn't slide easily out of the hoop when pressed on gently. Then use a fabric marker or normal pen to draw the horizontal and vertical axis lines on the stabilizer following the marks on the hoop.

After the stabilizer is hooped & drawn on, spray the inside of the jacket with temporary spray adhesive. Carefully lay the jacket onto the hooped stabilizer. Make sure to match up the drawn axis lines on the jacket to the drawn axis lines on the stabilizer & hoop. Smooth them together firmly. 

If sewing with a medium or heavier weight embroidery design, we recommend hand sewing the jacket onto the hooped stabilizer using a long basting stitch. To do this, use a hand sewing needle and thread to stitch a square around the inner edges of the hoop. Make sure to sew through both the jacket and the stabilizer. Be careful not to unhoop or loosen the stabilizer in the hoop while you sew.

Once the jacket is hooped using either method, it is time to embroider the design. Load the embroidery file onto the machine, and secure the hoop onto the machine. 

Using the options in your machine, move the needle until it is directly over the drawn center point on the jacket. Then follow the color change sheet, and embroider the design.

Once the embroidery has finished sewing, unhoop the jacket, and remove any basting stitches. Turn the jacket inside out, and trim away the excess stabilizer from around the design. If water-soluble stabilizer was used, follow the stabilizers instructions to remove it by soaking or washing the jacket.

Also follow the fabric marking tool's instructions to remove any drawn marks from the jacket.

Once the excess stabilizer and marks have been removed, your jacket is complete and ready to wear. Show it off yourself, or give it as a beautiful, personalized gift!

Shop our collection of designs perfect for jacket backs, here!