How to Embroider a Name on a Shirt by Hand

We stitch names every working day, and the question we see most in search is how to do it yourself. This is the method we would teach a new pair of hands. It leaves out anything a first name does not need.

What you need

• The shirt. A woven cotton shirt is the easiest thing to start on. A t-shirt works too, but pick a heavy one, ideally 220 GSM, because thin jersey ripples around lettering.
• Six-strand cotton floss. One skein is plenty for a name. You will stitch with two strands, not six.
• An embroidery needle, size 7 to 9, and a 4 or 5 inch wooden hoop.
• A washable fabric marker. Test it on an inside seam first. Never use ballpoint or pencil.
• Iron-on cut-away stabiliser, only if the shirt is a t-shirt or any other knit.

Kit prices and the full first-project checklist are in can you embroider a t-shirt yourself.

Step 1: Decide the size before the style

Small letters are the commonest mistake, so settle this first.

Below about 8 mm, script letters close up into a squiggle. If the name is long and the space is small, stitch initials.

To find the spot, put the shirt on and mark it with a pin in front of a mirror. Laid flat on a table, most people place a chest name too low.

Step 2: Get the letters onto the cloth

1. Type the name on a computer and print it at exactly the height you chose. Measure the printout with a ruler.
2. Rule a faint baseline on the shirt with the marker, so the name does not climb uphill.
3. Tape the printout to a window, hold the shirt over it and trace the letters as single lines.

On dark fabric you cannot see through the cloth. Use white dressmaker's carbon paper, or a stick-on water-soluble stabiliser you can draw on and rinse away afterwards.

Choose plain letters for a first attempt: a clean handwriting style or simple capitals. Fonts with thick and thin strokes only work if you fill them in, which is a harder stitch.

Step 3: Stabilise and hoop

If the shirt is a knit, iron the cut-away stabiliser onto the inside, about 2 cm larger than the name on every side. This is the step beginners skip, and it is the reason their lettering ripples.

Hoop the fabric so the surface is flat. On a t-shirt it should never be drum-tight, or you stretch the knit and the name sinks into a dip when the hoop comes off.

Step 4: Pick the stitch for your lettering

If you only learn one, learn back stitch. Every name can be stitched with it.

Step 5: Stitch the name

• Cut a length of floss about as long as your forearm. Longer thread tangles and frays before you finish it.
• Separate two strands and lay them back together. Pulling them apart removes the twist, so they lie flat and cover better.
• Start without a bulky knot. Leave a short tail on the back and catch it under your first few stitches.
• Work each letter the way you would write it, one stroke at a time.
• Shorten your stitches on curves. 3 to 4 mm on straight lines, 2 mm round the bowl of an a or an e. Long stitches turn a curve into a row of corners.
• Do not pull. The thread should rest on the cloth. If the fabric dimples, you are pulling too hard.
• Do not carry thread from one letter to the next on a light shirt. A dark strand crossing the back shows through the front. Finish the letter, then start again.

To finish a thread, slide the needle under three or four stitches on the back and trim.

Step 6: Wash out the marker, then press

Rinse the marker out in cold water before any heat goes near it. Some washable pens set for good under a hot iron. Dry the shirt flat, then press it face down on a towel from the back, so the stitching keeps its height.

Watch it done

The mistakes we see most

• Letters too small. Anything under 1 cm is hard even for an experienced hand.
• All six strands. It makes every line look chunky and sit too high off the cloth.
• No stabiliser on a t-shirt. The lettering puckers and never recovers.
• A hoop tightened like a drum on jersey. The name sits in a dent.
• Ironing before rinsing. The guideline becomes permanent.

When it is worth handing over

Stitch it yourself if the making is the gift. Hand it to us if there is a date attached, if the name is in a script you do not write, or if the piece has to look finished the first time. Our artisans do this every day, and every custom name is confirmed with you in writing before the needle moves.

Our custom name tees start at about ₹1,449. See custom hand embroidery, or read 18 lettering styles that work on clothing if you are still choosing a look.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best stitch for embroidering a name?

Back stitch for small print letters, stem stitch or split stitch for cursive, chain stitch for bold script and satin stitch for thick block capitals. A beginner can stitch any name in back stitch alone.

How many strands of floss should I use for letters?

Two strands for most names. Use three for chain stitch on a large name. All six strands makes lettering chunky and hard to control.

How big should embroidered letters be?

At least 1.5 cm tall on a left chest and 1 cm on a cuff. Below about 8 mm, script letters close up and become hard to read.

Do I need stabiliser to embroider a name on a t-shirt?

Yes. T-shirt jersey is a knit and stretches. Iron-on cut-away stabiliser on the inside stops the lettering from puckering. A woven shirt does not need it.

How long does it take to hand embroider a name?

A five-letter name on the chest takes a beginner one evening. An artisan who does it daily is several times faster.