Removing Embroidery From A Gi

[EchoBoomer]

I did a quick Google search and this nifty little tool came up...

"Peggy's Stitch Eraser"



1) Would this be an efficient means to removing embroidery on a gi?

2) Would removing the embroidery damage the gi?

3) Has anyone ever removed embroidery from a gi?

I plan on using it on the Dragao Tribal Double Weave...

As you can see, it looks as if "Ed Hardy threw up all over it".

I appreciate your time,
- Echoboomer

 

[johnnyvtx]

that would be alot of work

 

[Gawd]

Considering how ugly that dragon is, it wouldn't be a problem if the gi is damaged. You can't use it the way it looks now.

 

[Calvo]

So, you are paying for a $200 gi, just to remove the dragon? You know you can buy blank Gis right?

 

[Roflolfish]

literally looks like a hair trimmer..

 

[slideyfoot]

Yes, you can remove embroidery from a gi. You don't need specialised tools, but you do need plenty of time and patience.

I just spent about a week removing all the embroidered words from my Black Eagle Predator. First, cut through the stitches on the back: you can use a beard trimmer to thin them down first. I've been sliding the blade from a pair of cuticle scissors underneath the stitch to cut them.

Next, use a pair of tweezers to carefully pull the stitches out. The danger is that you might tweak the actual gi fabric, hence why you need to do it carefully (and ideally from the back).

 

[Livenlearn]

This makes me happy to see.
I have been thinking of getting a women's-cut gi for awhile, but they all seem to have too much pink or writing etc. I even saw one that was completely ruined by having writing all over the butt. * sigh *

But maybe I can use this. That would be nice.

 

[AZkcar135]

Cool idea, but I think it would be easier to just not buy a dragao gi!

 

[RAWilliams]

Depending on the IBJJF tournament you're at, if you need sewing done or embroidery removed, I travel with a well stocked emergency kit that includes sewing supplies. I'm not going to attend as many IBJJF regionals in 2011 but I will be at a few. Look for a Gracie Barra airhead with ridiculously long hair and no entourage. If you're GB and get your request in early, I'll do it gladly. If you're from a different team, it's best to get there early and bribe me. I still need time to work or occasionally cut weight, and my bracket times take priority, but I'll help you if I can.

Acceptable bribes include:

1) a new pair of fuzzy socks
2) dark chocolate
3) help with the last minute bits of my weight cut if I haven't competed yet, or
4) a nice neck and shoulder massage if you happen to be male and single (I don't want to have to challenge your wife or girlfriend; that could get messy)

The earlier you get your dibs in, the better your chances are of having the work finished before you're due in the bullpen. Best bribes go to the front of the line and can even interrupt my knitting.

If you don't have any fuzzy socks due to your horrible lack of planning, or if your chocolate selection is limited to the "milk chocolate" candy bar rubbish they sell in vending machines, or I've already competed or don't need to cut weight because I haven't done anything indecent to a buffet recently, or you don't fit into the single male category... find an unattached teammate and pimp him.

(I've actually helped a fair number of people out at tournaments, but when I realized a bunch of buff shirtless cougar bait was actually talking to me because I had the only scissors in the building, I realized I could exploit the situation for G-rated sexual favors. Or fuzzy socks. Or chocolate... and I live in hope of enjoying all three at the same time.)

 

[slideyfoot]

Depending on the IBJJF tournament you're at, if you need sewing done or embroidery removed, I travel with a well stocked emergency kit that includes sewing supplies.

Have you ever used the Peggy's Stitch Remover thing, or the Peanut one that I've also read about? I've been happy enough with just cuticle scissors and tweezers, but if those things actually work much better and faster, I'd be interested in checking it out.

Although I'm hoping I don't have to remove embroidery again: I wouldn't normally own as heavily embroidered a gi as the Predator, but I got sent it for review (and liked it, hence why I bothered taking the trouble to remove all the embroidery).

with ridiculously long hair

Ah, so is that you in the avatar? Didn't realise.

 

[RAWilliams]

Have you ever used the Peggy's Stitch Remover thing, or the Peanut one that I've also read about?
Ah, so is that you in the avatar? Didn't realise.

I generally just use a seam ripper, embroidery scissers (uber pointy) and a needle. It's worked so far but if the Peggy's Stitch Remover can get me more chocolate and fuzzy socks I'm interested.

Yeah, that's me in my avatar pic, just before the Chicago Summer Open this year. Some of the guys helped me through a weight cut complicated by PMS. The picture is either a reward or a punishment depending on which way they swing and whether they have a Disney princess fetish.

 

[slideyfoot]

I generally just use a seam ripper

I was looking for one of those in the hardware/random stuff shop near my house, but nowhere ever seems to sell the damn things (well, I could go online, but I was being cheap ). Which is crap, particularly as this shop has a huge sewing section. Gah.

Are they a lot better than cuticle scissors? Bought some of those from the chemist and broke the screw holding the blades together almost immediately, but then found that actually worked better, as I could just push a single blade of it underneath the stitches until the pressure forced the threads into the blade and cut them.

 

[BJJ_Rage]

why on earth would you buy that GI if you plan to remove the dragon? im mean, is not like its an atama, gameness, keiko shoyoroll must have unique type of fabric...

 

[RAWilliams]

I was looking for one of those in the hardware/random stuff shop near my house, but nowhere ever seems to sell the damn things (well, I could go online, but I was being cheap ). Which is crap, particularly as this shop has a huge sewing section. Gah.

Are they a lot better than cuticle scissors? Bought some of those from the chemist and broke the screw holding the blades together almost immediately, but then found that actually worked better, as I could just push a single blade of it underneath the stitches until the pressure forced the threads into the blade and cut them.

Cuticle scissors are too broad. Embroidery scissors are very pointy and extremely sharp. The tips can go anywhere a needle can go. Here are some:

Walmart.com: Red Dot Embroidery Scissors, 4-1/2": Crafts

You can get them even smaller and with a more girly look: mine are about 3 1/2" long with green handles and a leather case. But they're very well made and unlikely to break.

The seam ripper is cheap; sometimes it's called a thread cutter or stitch cutter. It's shaped like a tiny lopsided 2-pronged fork, with a plastic handle. That reminds me, I have to pick one up next time I'm at Wal-Mart. My last one wandered away from me in Chicago and hasn't been seen since. Of course, today I managed to lose one (?!) knitting needle so I'm pretty sure I'd misplace my own head if it weren't attached.

 

[Byrd]

I would wear that gi, it looks like something my kids would buy me but then again, I also have a few tapout & silverstar shirts I wear too...

 

[Spazzmaster]

I must be missing something. Why would you buy a $250 gi if you don't like the way it looks? You know you can get gis at half that price with nothing on them

 

[slideyfoot]

You can get them even smaller and with a more girly look: mine are about 3 1/2" long with green handles and a leather case. But they're very well made and unlikely to break.

The seam ripper is cheap; sometimes it's called a thread cutter or stitch cutter. It's shaped like a tiny lopsided 2-pronged fork, with a plastic handle.

Cool: I'll have to pick those up if I ever need (well ok, want) to get rid of embroidery again. Shouldn't need to do that unless anybody else sends me a gi for review which is both patched up and particularly good quality, though.

Out of interest, have you ever removed patches or embroidery from ripstop? That's the last bit of removal left on my Predator (two patches on the upper legs), but I'm wondering if the tiny holes it leaves behind are going to be more problematic for ripstop than for typical gi pants. Wasn't a problem on the various 'normal' gi pants I've done it to, but then I'm guessing the material on those is tougher.

 

[Dake]

I'm yet to travel to an IBJJF tourney, I had no idea my sewing abilities would be so useful.

 

[D00M]

why would you by the dragon tribal double weave if you dont like the dragon thing