Hi all,

I'm making stuffed dog toys for the holidays this year and would like to 'embroider' the animals names on the toys.  I don't have a machine that will do the embroidery and I'm definetly not skilled enough to do it on my own.  My mom suggested using bobbin threading with embroidery type yarn which looks really neat.  My problem though is that I have to get the names on the material backwards so that I can follow it with the machine and have the name come out right using the bobbin thread.  I'm using dark denim and dark sharpie's don't show through.  Any ideas on how to get the names written backwards on the fabric?  My handwriting is awful, so I was planning on making my husband write out all of the names, but I don't want to turn this into a giant project for him.  

TIA

Have you tried using white chalk, like the kind kids use for sidewalks? That might work. I know for dark fabrics, I use a china marker(white grease pencil basically), although I don't know that it'd wash off well, if you didn't cover it completely. Silver sharpies should work too (you ought to be able to get them at any local wal-mart, My BF uses them in the shop all the time, and I've been known to appropriate one for an hour or so when needed)

Hope that helps some.

K.

Stores that sell sewing stuff usually carry light colored pencils for marking dark fabric.  They are designed to wash out.

Have you tried using a mirror?  Would that give you the result you need?  Good Luck!!!

I'd find some very light tracing paper or use tissue paper and have your husband write the names on that with a heavy marker.  Then lay that onto the fabric, with the top side down.  That will give you the inverse image you need for doing the sewing from the back.  You can sew right thru the paper and tear it away when you are done.  I've done this many times to get signatures and drawings onto projects.

Good luck!

Awesome--Thank you ladies!  I knew you would have ideas for me.  

I'll let you know how it turns out.   :)

Sorry. I forgot that not everybody can read and write backwards, LOL. I didn't even think of solutions for that.  :-/