Journal

Journal

Notes on thread, cloth, and the work of putting one onto the other. Short and factual, written by the people who stitch the caps.

Illustration: a band of navy satin stitches laid at 68 degrees over sand cotton twill, drawn to show how thread stands above the weave. Not a photograph.
Embroidery 5 min read

Embroidered vs. printed hats: which one actually lasts?

Thread sits on top of the cloth. Ink soaks into it. Almost everything about how a cap ages follows from that one difference.
Illustration: the name SAM stitched in gold thread on a navy cap front. Drawn, not photographed.
Explainers 5 min read

What is embroidery digitizing? How a drawing becomes stitches

An embroidery machine cannot read a picture. Someone has to decide where every stitch goes, in what order, and in which direction. That work is digitizing.
Care
Care 4 min read

How to wash an embroidered hat without wrecking the stitching

The thread is tougher than the cap. The only thing that ruins embroidered hats in the wash is heat, and heat is easy to avoid.
Illustration: cross-section of embroidery, showing thread loops standing above the surface of the cotton twill. Drawn, not photographed.
Embroidery 4 min read

Stitch count, explained: what 5,000 stitches looks like on a cap

The number on every product page is the one the machine actually cares about. Here is how to read it, with a reference ladder from initials to full-front fills.
Care
Care 4 min read

How to iron on an embroidered patch (and when to sew it instead)

Heat-seal backing is strong if you give it enough heat, enough pressure, and time to cool. Here is the method, the fabrics to avoid, and how to do a cap.