Producing the coils on a letterman's jacket, the most popular outlet for chenille.

Chenille seems to be having resurgence in popularity thanks to the heightened interest in mixed-media effects. The term means “hairy caterpillar” in French and, if you think about it, those tufted stitches do look decidedly like an army of pre-butterflies snuggled together on a bed of scrim felt. Chenille can be compared to a regular embroidery machine stitching the running stitch or filling areas with fuzzy or specialty threads.

Manual beginnings

The manual chenille machine was the 1866 brain-child of a Frenchman named Bonnaz. The manual machine used to create chenille today is virtually the same piece of equipment. These also have cording and taping attachments that can expand the versatility of the machine. 

The electric motor that runs the chenille or “chain stitch” machine is the only thing automatic about it. The needle has a hook, not an eye, and the spool of yarn sits below the machine. The single thread is pulled up from below the needle plate—forming the stitch without a bobbin. The process is very similar to the craft of rug-hooking. It takes practice to learn but the single-needle is easy to thread. There is a pedal to make the machine run and a handle that turns the needle as it travels throughout the area of the image, filling it with coils of yarn.

The manual machine can create a moss stitch, a chain stitch and a lock stitch. The moss (fill) stitch is a looping process with the needle picking up the thread and then leaving it looped up above the fabric while it creates another stitch. Moss stitching creates a feeling of depth.

The chain effect is formed with stitches that are never dropped, but locked down by the next stitch formed. The chain stitch is used to create words, monograms and outlines. The chain stitch has always been very popular on bowling jackets and many bowling teams are loyal to this retro look, preferring it to the satin stitch lettering of the conventional embroidery machine.

Here, you can see the traced pattern as well as the coiled stitches.

An embroidery comparison to our more familiar stitching machine equates the moss stitch to the fill or tatami of embroidery and the chain stitch is like the running stitch. Chenille can be embroidered, usually on top of the moss stitching, such as a football with the player’s name added. Any lettering can be added in a satin stitch. This combination is an effective way to create a patch, personalized with the athlete’s name. Sometimes the name is stitched on a rectangular or other geometric fill stitch which, when used as a background, keeps the embroidery from sinking into the chenille yarn. Scrim felt can also be directly embroidered and then filled in around those stitches with the chenille coils. The combination of the embroidery and chenille stitch creates a dimensional effect.

Patterns for designs for the manual machine are created by tracing the outline of a pattern with a pin or other sharp object. Pattern paste is then forced through the transfer, creating a dotted pattern on the heavy, stiff, scrim felt. The operator then uses their acquired talent to fill in the appropriate spaces—much like coloring.

Chenille can be robust or delicate depending on the size of the yarn. Chain stitches form delicate lace with fine thread. Massive mascots on lettermen jackets are created with thicker orlon, wool or cotton yarns.

You might find a manual chenille machine for $2,000 or less. You can still buy a new one for about $4,000 with motor and table. The computerized and combination specialty machines are a larger investment, especially if you decide to add the digitizing capabilities. But either one can add dimension and excitement to what we do. And that’s the name of the game, really. Keeping it exciting and profitable for us—making it exciting and pleasing for the customers.

Automation

Automatic chenille machines are evolving and many of the design software programs have chenille digitizing capabilities. It is important if you are interested in an automatic machine to partner it with software that can create the necessary files for stitching. Machines have been developed that can do chenille, embroidery and sequins with the same head. This versatility is aimed at making the specialty machines more attractive to the end-user.

Alternately, you can partner with a digitizer who owns such a program and can supply you with the needed designs. Chenille digitizing is quite an investment as the digitizer must invest in an automatic chenille machine to verify designs. The market for the product is so specialized which is often a deterrent to this investment.

Many production houses have watched the development of the computerized chenille machine in hopes of providing chenille at lower prices, but the necessary larger runs needed to produce cost-effective products are not often present.

Some don’t consider the automatic chenille machine as cost-effective as the manual machines, as many customers want one-of-a-kind or just a dozen of a design. A set-up fee for digitizing each design, whether charged separately or bundled into the price of the job, presents a challenge to lower prices. 

Short runs can be produced faster by manual operators—and a talented chain-stitch machine operator can create intricate paths and patterns easily. These random and intricate coils are considered by some to be more attractive than the consistent look created by the automatic machine. Manual operators can also produce the pattern and complete the design in less than an hour.

Linda Bologna of Embroidery & Much More (St. Clair Shores, Mich.) with the pattern that is used for manual chenille. (All images courtesy Embroidery & Much More)

Alternatives

Test the waters by contracting your chenille work out to shops that offer those services. If your customer-base is excited and willing to support an expansion, you can then consider adding your own equipment. 

Another alternative is faux-chenille, a fabric that can be used as an appliqué in place of the more conventional fabrics. This fabric can be applied to garments or even used to create freestanding patches such as are used on letterman jackets. Adding embroidered names or team numbers completes the look.

Tickle your customers’ interests by using larger diameter novelty threads with a fuzz factor that can add excitement, texture and dimension to stitching created with a conventional embroidery machine. Cording and looping threads can be implemented to create a chenille effect as well. The shiny (600 denier) thread mimics the shiny look of the old-fashioned chain stitching.

Look at the designs that cross your desk or computer screen and consider how you can add the look of fuzz to your usual work. Learn digitizing techniques that will allow you to create fuzzy, free-standing mustaches, looped fills for furry teddy bears and a realistic look for grass. Those fancy fill patterns (the ones that many production embroiderers consider frivolous bells and whistles) can be used to create fancy, shaggy effects that can rival chenille and set your business apart. A top-of-the-line digitizing program with special effects on hand can incite your imagination and whet your customer’s appetite for more and different.

Letterman jackets can have hundreds of dollars invested in embroidery, chenille and patches that combine both of these processes. Partnering with schools to offer customizable award jackets can be a lucrative addition to your embroidery business.

Check out the local mall and see how the dimensional and fuzzy look figures into what the customer wants. Understanding the process, exploring the possibilities and appreciating the market’s need can give you a real feel for whether you should add an army of fuzzy caterpillars to your offerings.