How to machine embroider text on knits on the PFAFF creative icon 2

Full of inspiration and joy, let’s continue our embroidery adventure! Yesterday, I showed you how to hoop t-shirts perfectly for machine embroidery with the PFAFF creative icon 2. Today, we’re focusing on adding a touch of charm to one of the most overlooked areas—the sleeves of a T-shirt. Whether you’re adding a delicate flower, a playful motif, or a cozy message, sleeves are a perfect canvas for personal expression. Let’s see how easy and fun it can be with the PFAFF creative icon 2 and a few thoughtful tips!

We start by folding the sleeve along the armpit seam and pinning it to secure. Now it’s time to hoop. Take PFAFF 120 Square Hoop 120 x 120 mm. Place a piece of PFAFF Cut-a-Way Light Stabilizer 15″ x 8½” onto the outer hoop, then position the sleeve along the bottom edge with the rolled side facing down. Use masking tape to fix the sleeve to the stabilizer. Since this is a small, easy-to-manage area, there’s no need for temporary adhesive spray—just securing the edge with tape does the job beautifully. It’s one of those little time-saving tips that also helps avoid any mess.

A quick note of caution here: avoid using fabric glue to hold your T-shirt in place. I know it’s tempting (glue is sticky, right?), but trust me, I’ve learned the hard way. Fabric glue gums up your needle, doesn’t wash out well, and can stretch or distort your delicate knits. Even a glue stick might work once, but it’s not worth the hassle. That’s why I stick with masking tape for small areas, like sleeves—it’s clean, simple, and gentle on your fabric.

Now gently press the inner hoop into place. For the final layer, cut a 6″ x 5½” piece of PFAFF Aqua Magic Stabilizer or PELLON Sol-U-Film and lay it on top as a water-soluble topper. Use masking tape at the corners—keep it slightly loose. This helps the embroidery stay crisp and raised rather than sinking into the knit.

All set and ready to stitch! Just as we did yesterday, we begin in Embroidery mode. On the welcome screen of the PFAFF creative icon 2, tap “Embroidery.” A pop-up message will remind you to clear the embroidery arm and remove the hoop if it’s already attached. Tap OK, and the machine will calibrate itself, smoothly moving the embroidery arm into position.

Load your bobbin, thread the machine, and attach the 6D The Dynamic Spring Foot. Then take the PFAFF creative 120 Square Hoop (120 x 120 mm) with the hooped fabric and connect it. On-screen, select the matching hoop size from the list. Once it’s selected, press Start Hoop Scan. The machine will prompt you to attach the hoop—slide it in from front to back until you hear that satisfying click, and press OK to continue.

Now for the fun part—picking our design! One of the things I absolutely love about the PFAFF creative icon 2 is the massive built-in embroidery library. Tap ‘Edit Design’, scroll to the Mini category, and I’ve chosen design #52 to add a touch of charm to the left sleeve and match it with our front Mouse design. Tap to load the design.

After the hoop scan, you’ll see the design placement clearly displayed on-screen. Adjust the position if needed using your finger or stylus—it’s that easy!

Once you’re happy with the placement, tap the GO icon and press the Start button on your machine. Time to sit back and enjoy one of the most brilliant parts of the process! The machine will make one pause during stitching to ask you to trim the thread tail—a pop-up will remind you. Just snip and press start again.

And just like that—in about a minute—your sweet sleeve design is ready! Unhoop gently, and let’s move on to the second sleeve for a balanced, stylish finish.

Let’s hoop our right sleeve the same way we did the left. This time, I wanted to show you how text looks when embroidered on a T-shirt sleeve—a fun detail that adds personality and charm!

It’s best to avoid heavy satin stitch fonts for stretchy fabrics, such as knits. For this design, I selected the “Belle 10” font from the Embroidery Fonts menu. Using the pop-up keyboard, I typed in my text in uppercase for better visibility on the sleeve.

To adjust the layout and fit the curve of the sleeve, I tapped Edit Design and rotated the text 180 degrees so it aligns perfectly along the edge. Then, I used the projector feature—such a lifesaver! To double-check the exact placement before stitching. This simple step really helps ensure everything lands where you want it.

Once everything looked just right, I tapped the “GO” icon and pressed the Start button on the machine panel.

Now, just a heads-up—when working with text, you’ll be a bit more hands-on. The machine will pause after each letter to prompt you to trim the thread tail. A pop-up message will guide you through it—just snip and press Start again. It’s a bit more involved, but the result is so worth it!

Now let’s finish our sleeves. Trim away any excess PFAFF Cut-a-Way Light Stabilizer from the back, and wash the film topper from both sleeves with warm water. You’ll be left with a clean, crisp design on your soft cotton tee. Gently press from the back to finish.

Our T-shirt is ready and looks fabulous! This embroidery exercise serves as the foundation for creating more intricate machine-embroidered pieces on any knit fabric.

Join me tomorrow, as I have a few more tips to share. Spoiler alert: I’ll show you how to embroider a mixed design using satin stitches and reveal how to achieve flawless results with the incredible precision of the PFAFF creative icon 2.

This is part 3 of 4 in this series

Go back to part 2 Hooping T-shirts made easy: embroidery TIPS with the PFAFF creative icon 2