Beginner’s Guide: T-shirt embroidery on stretch fabrics with PFAFF creative icon 2

Welcome back, dear souls of needle and thread.
Today, we’re stepping into one of the most-requested embroidery adventures—yes, we’re stitching on the classic T-shirt! If you’ve ever dreamed of turning a simple tee into something charming, meaningful, or downright dazzling, you’re in good company.

Most people get their first embroidery machine dreaming of personalizing accessories and clothing, and more often than not, the first project on the list is (no surprise!) a T-shirt. It seems easy, but then reality hits: puckering, warping, stretched-out designs… I’ve been there, and trust me, it’s disappointing.

Over the past year, I’ve pushed myself to explore embroidery beyond quilting, using the PFAFF creative icon 2, experimenting with tricky materials like felt, Velcro, and stretch cottons. Through a lot of hands-on practice, I’ve learned what really works… and what doesn’t.

It’s time to tackle this timeless project with confidence. Whether you’re creating personalized gifts or stylish wearables, I’m here to walk you through the process with real-life-tested tips and plenty of encouragement.

Let’s get you confidently stitching on stretchy knits without the stress.

materials

PFAFF embroidery designs and font

• #10 Belle
• #24 Mouse on Ice
• #52 Mini Curl
• #18 Espresso
• #23 Coffee Beans

thread

• 2 spools of 40wt polyester thread of your color choice
• bobbin wound with the matching top thread

notions

• 2 plain heavy cotton adult T-shirts
• Odif temporary adhesive spray
• patchwork clips or fine glass head pins
• sharp scissors, ruler and water-soluble or heat-erasable marker
• masking tape
• 3 – 15” x 8½” pieces PFAFF Cut-a-Way Light Stabilizer
• 2 – 12” x 8½” pieces PFAFF Fuse-On Light & Soft Stabilizer
• 5 – 6” x 5½” pieces PFAFF Aqua Magic Stabilizer or PELLON Sol-U-Film
• PFAFF Titanium Embroidery needle size 90

feet/machine accessories suggestions

• 6D The Dynamic Spring Foot
• PFAFF creative 120 Square Hoop 120 x 120 mm

Let’s begin by switching on the PFAFF creative icon 2. On the welcome screen, tap the Embroidery mode to enter your creative workspace. Just a gentle reminder—it’s best to use the straight stitch plate when embroidering. But if that slips your mind, don’t worry! The machine is smart enough to catch it and will give you a friendly nudge before stitching begins.

Next, attach the 6D The Dynamic Spring Foot, specially designed to handle embroidery with control and precision. And while you’re at it, go ahead and change the needle too—this small step makes a big difference. A dull or overused needle can lead to skipped stitches, snagged threads, or even fabric damage—none of which we want on our precious T-shirt project. For most knits, a PFAFF Ball Point Needles Size 90 or a PFAFF Titanium Embroidery needle size 90 will do the job beautifully.

Let’s start where every great embroidery project begins—design choice. It’s tempting to go big and bold right out of the gate, but trust me, T-shirts have their own opinions! These stretchy, lightweight knits don’t play nicely with dense, heavy designs. Too many stitches in one area and you’ll end up with puckering, sagging, or worse—your fabulous design will look like it’s trying to escape the fabric. Of course, the PFAFF creative icon 2 can handle large, intricate designs with ease—this recommendation is simply about choosing the right motif for T-shirts, so the fabric looks and feels its best.

The key? Keep it light and airy. Open designs, small motifs ideally 4″ x 4″ or smaller, or simple appliques work beautifully. I love mixing expressive lines with negative space—it gives you visual impact without overloading the fabric. Even lettering can be tricky, so avoid thick satin fonts unless you’ve stabilized like a pro (more on that soon). In short, choose designs that let your T-shirt breathe—you want art that moves with the fabric, not against it. Once you learn how to spot a T-shirt-friendly design, the possibilities truly open up.

On your PFAFF Creative Icon 2 screen, tap the Appliqué Creator icon—it’s the one with Flower and a little globe on it. This opens the door to the vast mySewnet Library, where you’ll find thousands of delightful embroidery designs. For today’s project, scroll through and select Design #24 – Mouse on Ice. Why this one? It’s a sweet, monochromatic design with light stitching and a playful, whimsical feel—just the right mix for your first try on a T-shirt. It’s gentle on stretchy fabric and beginner-friendly, without sacrificing personality. Tap twice on the design to load it into the editing screen, and let’s get ready to stitch something charming!

Now it’s time to attach the embroidery unit. As soon as the machine recognizes it, you’ll see a message asking you to clear the embroidery arm and remove the hoop if it’s already attached. Tap OK, and the machine will calibrate itself, gently moving the arm into position and getting ready for stitching.

For our project, I’m using the 120 Square Hoop 120 x 120 mm. Click to select the needed hoop size – 120 x 120 mm. Then click “Start Hoop Scan.” You’ll see a pop-up message asking you to attach the hoop. To do that, slide the hoop connector into the hoop attachment from front to back until it clicks into place. Click “OK” on the screen. The hoop scan won’t take long, and you’ll be ready to move on to stitching. This project focuses on small motifs for T-shirts, but remember, your PFAFF creative icon 2 can embroider much larger designs when paired with bigger hoops and sturdier fabrics.

Our setup is complete and we’re ready to stitch! Join me tomorrow, we’ll dive into which stabilizer truly works best (spoiler alert: it’s not tear-away) and how to hoop your T-shirt so everything runs smoothly from the first stitch to the last. Stay tuned—there’s plenty of embroidery joy ahead!

This is part 1 of 4 in this series