If the idea of hand-lettering or embroidery makes you hesitate—“I don’t have good handwriting” or “I can’t embroider by hand”—this simple hack will change your mind. I used it to create this embroidered sweatshirt, and as someone who rarely trusts their handwriting, I was thrilled with how it turned out.
Spoiler: my handwriting never actually touches the fabric. Ready to try it?
DIY Embroidered Sweatshirt
Total Time: About 1 hour or longer, depending on the length of your phrase.
Supplies
Sweatshirt (or another garment)
Embroidery thread
Embroidery needle
Freezer paper
Iron
Colored pencil
Computer and printer for your template
Directions
1. Create your template. Choose the text and a font you like—script fonts work especially well. I used a thin script; others like “Learning Curve” are also lovely. Set the size you want (mine was about 4″ wide) and print it on regular paper.
2. Cut a small piece of freezer paper. Place it shiny side down over your printed template and trace the letters with a colored pencil. A colored pencil is preferable to regular graphite because it’s less likely to smudge or transfer onto the fabric.
3. Position the traced freezer paper on the sweatshirt and press it with a hot iron, shiny side down so it adheres to the fabric.
4. Thread an embroidery needle with a comfortable length of thread. Use a single strand for thicker thread or double it for thinner floss. Knot the end of the thread.
5. Using small back stitches, sew through both the fabric and the freezer paper following the traced line. To make a back stitch: bring the needle up slightly ahead of the line, then insert it backward to the start of the guide. Continue by bringing the needle up again ahead of the previous stitch and inserting it where the last stitch ended. This produces a continuous, clean line that mimics handwriting.
6. Sew along the entire traced word, moving naturally as you would when writing. Follow the flow of each letter—loops, stems and joins—so the finished embroidery looks organic and consistent.
7. When you finish a section, on the inside of the sweatshirt slip the needle through the final stitch to form a small loop, pass the needle through that loop twice, pull tight and trim the excess thread to secure the work.
8. Remove the freezer paper carefully. Lift a corner and peel slowly up to your stitches, holding the thread in place while you work. The paper will tear where it was perforated by the needle, so pull away the outer sections gently first and then remove any small interior pieces. Take your time—being patient keeps the stitches neat and intact.
Photos by Jeff Mindell
I embroidered “Holy Cannoli” because I say it all the time — and because it’s a good excuse to enjoy a few cannoli while crafting. I also added pastel chips for a playful touch.
p.s. DIY avocado buttons are a fun companion project if you want to add more handmade details to your clothing.