Making the emblem. Pictures don’t totally match up, but this is the process.
You will need:
Your fabrics.
A printed-out template scaled to fit you. If you think you can free-hand it, you can’t. Be on-model, you’ll thank yourself for it later.
A double-sided fusible web.
Tear-away stabilizer.
A basic understanding of satin-stitching. There are videos on youtube on how to do this.
An iron. This is never optional, you should never sew without an iron!
HOW TO DO THIS:
1. Applique “negative space” pieces on using a double-sided fusible sheeting like Heat ‘n Bond or Steam ‘n Stitch. I’m told “Stitch Witchery” is the American brand name for it. I worked at Fabricland for six years (and was management for a time) and we stocked Dritz products, but we didn’t carry Stitch Witchery. Don’t bother cutting out the outer sides of the \S/; just smack it on the red and you’re good for now. MAKE SURE you use a kind that can be sewn through! If not, it will gunk up your needle, stick and jam your machine. Not fun.
2. Apply tear-away stabilizer to the back. This is to make it a zillion time easier. If you don’t know what this is, it’s basically thick interfacing-like sheeting you put on the back of projects when you’re satin-stitching or topstitching it. “But why would I spend money on something I am going to rip off and throw away?” you cry. Because you want this to look really neat and if your fabric has even a modicum of stretch, you’re going to want to cry if you don’t use a tear-away stabilizer. Use pins to keep it in place, because it doesn’t iron on.
3. What’s satin-stitching? It’s that fine, tight zig-zag stitch you do that looks like a constant line. Got some factory-made stuffed animals in your room with “cartoon” eyes? Pick them up and look at their eyes. Odds are some part of it is satin-stitched. If not, try a hoodie or something where the letters/logos have been sewn on instead of printed.
4. Satin-stitch it allllllllllllll! I didn’t do a perfect job; haven’t mastered corners yet, weh weh.
5. Tear the stabilizer off. Throw it out, or if you’re sad and desperate, salvage the bigger parts. On something this detailed, you probably won’t save much.
6. Iron it smooth.
7. Iron the whole piece to double-sided fusible web again, like you did with the gold pieces. Once you’ve ironed it on securely, let it cool. Cooling is a huge part of what makes it stick together properly, so if you don’t let it cool, you’re just going to hurt its ability to stick properly and stay where you want it to stay.
8. NOW take it to your cutting board (or scissors) and trim the edges to make that classic shield shape. Shield? Diamond? Whatever, you know what I’m talking about.
9. Very carefully line it up front and center on your shirt front piece. You should not have sewn the shirt together yet because the golden rule is to work flat for as long as possible. This is about making your life easier, baby.
10. Iron that thing down!
11. Apply more stabilizer to the back, because you love yourself and don’t want to make this harder than necessary. Use pins to keep it in place.
12. Satin-stitch the edges down!
13. Tear off stabilizer!
14. Iron!
15. Well, would you look at that! A beautiful shield on your shirt! You go, Supergirl.
Other stuff:
1. I choose to do my outer-edge in gold. This is because I find it makes it “pop” a bit more. If I didn’t use gold, I’d use red, like I did on my classic uniform. Why not black? Because you are not a cartoon. It looks bad in real life, in my opinion. You are not a cartoon, you do not need “lines”. Using a matching color (like gold, yellow or red) makes it look professional and cleaner (and prevents the heat-n-bonded parts from peeling) without making it look cartoony.
2. Gold thread can be awful. Usually, to get that metallic thread, you have to buy a metallic embroidery thread, which does NOT like machines. It is meant to be hand-sewn, but that would take a zillion hours and I am sooooooo not patient enough. So be patient with it on a machine. Don’t yank it, take your time while stitching, and keep your hands on the piece to keep it still as it goes through the machine. Really guide it, so you don’t get jams.
3. Oh my god, this looks worlds better than my old one.
