Several people have asked me about monogram removal, and so I thought I'd share... While not all monograms are removable, it's usually pretty easy and requires only a seam ripper (a really cheap purchase at a fabric store, or even Wal-Mart), some good lighting, and a little patience.
Being able to take out a monogram means that you can hand down monogrammed items to your younger children. There's also quite a marketplace for monogrammed children's clothing on ebay, so you can buy things that are in great condition for a fraction of their original price. Plus, it also means you can still sell your kid's stuff on ebay even after it's monogrammed. (Though there are some great deals, you might be surprised how high some of the monogrammed things get!)
I bought this little RagsLand romper on ebay-- it was one of the deals. I have a white pique dress with a blue monogram for my daughter already, and was looking for a white pique outfit for my son to wear to coordinate.
This was a great buy to remove and re-monogram for a couple of reasons. First, the fabric is great for this-- pincord or baby wale pique-- lots of trunk show lines use this for their collars. Secondly, this monogram has no skinny parts that sometimes require a little more skill and patience.
To get started, you turn the monogram over to the reverse. At all costs, avoid the temptation to use the seam ripper on the front of the garment. Then you slip the pointy end under the white thread, careful not to poke it through the fabric, ripping a hole in the fabric. Then you simply slide it through, cutting the thread. 
This is how the letter looks on the reverse once you've finished "ripping" it. Simply turn it over and use your fingers to pull out all the embroidery thread on the front of the garment.
Monograms frequently have an underlay-- a vertical run of stitches under the center of each letter. It is barely visible in the left side of the "O" below.
To remove the underlay, simply slide the point of the seam ripper under the white thread on the back (this time it is running vertically), and cut the thread. Then, as before, turn over and pull out the underlay with your fingers.
Once the monogram is out, I'm left with a pile of very curly embroidery thread-- so satisfying! As you can see, the outline of the monogram is still visible, though.
To finish it off, I wet the monogrammed area and press it with a hot iron. As I said, this is a great fabric, and regardless of the lighting, I can't get the outline of the old monogram to show up at all in a photo! But, don't be scared if you can still see some outline of the old monogram. Putting a new monogram on top of the same spot will virtually eliminate any evidence that there was ever another monogram there!
But, not all monograms are removable. Here are a few tips to remember:
Being able to take out a monogram means that you can hand down monogrammed items to your younger children. There's also quite a marketplace for monogrammed children's clothing on ebay, so you can buy things that are in great condition for a fraction of their original price. Plus, it also means you can still sell your kid's stuff on ebay even after it's monogrammed. (Though there are some great deals, you might be surprised how high some of the monogrammed things get!)
I bought this little RagsLand romper on ebay-- it was one of the deals. I have a white pique dress with a blue monogram for my daughter already, and was looking for a white pique outfit for my son to wear to coordinate.
This was a great buy to remove and re-monogram for a couple of reasons. First, the fabric is great for this-- pincord or baby wale pique-- lots of trunk show lines use this for their collars. Secondly, this monogram has no skinny parts that sometimes require a little more skill and patience.
To get started, you turn the monogram over to the reverse. At all costs, avoid the temptation to use the seam ripper on the front of the garment. Then you slip the pointy end under the white thread, careful not to poke it through the fabric, ripping a hole in the fabric. Then you simply slide it through, cutting the thread. This is how the letter looks on the reverse once you've finished "ripping" it. Simply turn it over and use your fingers to pull out all the embroidery thread on the front of the garment.Monograms frequently have an underlay-- a vertical run of stitches under the center of each letter. It is barely visible in the left side of the "O" below.To remove the underlay, simply slide the point of the seam ripper under the white thread on the back (this time it is running vertically), and cut the thread. Then, as before, turn over and pull out the underlay with your fingers.
Once the monogram is out, I'm left with a pile of very curly embroidery thread-- so satisfying! As you can see, the outline of the monogram is still visible, though.
To finish it off, I wet the monogrammed area and press it with a hot iron. As I said, this is a great fabric, and regardless of the lighting, I can't get the outline of the old monogram to show up at all in a photo! But, don't be scared if you can still see some outline of the old monogram. Putting a new monogram on top of the same spot will virtually eliminate any evidence that there was ever another monogram there!
But, not all monograms are removable. Here are a few tips to remember:- Some fabrics are better than others. Cotton and cotton poly blends are best. Corduroy is sometimes a problem as the nap of the fabric has been pressed down too long, and won't "bounce back" with a simple pressing. Knits and other stretchy fabrics aren't too good either, they're far too easy to rip as you're trying to get the monogram out. And it's nearly impossible to get a monogram out of towels or other "loopy" fabrics without making a hole.
- Some monograms are better than others. Having a girl and a boy myself, I know that it's so much more fun to buy clothes for a little girl. But boy's monograms are so much easier to remove! Straight, thick lines are the easiest. Curves aren't a problem, but really skinny parts can be anywhere from tough to impossible to get out. And because they have skinny parts, smaller monograms or long names with small letters present more of a challenge for removal.
- Designs aren't removable. Because of the nature of the embroidery, things like butterflies and sailboats that may flank a child's name or initial probably aren't going to come out well.
- Don't invest too much. Especially at first. There's always a chance that you might rip a tiny (or giant!) hole in the garment when you're trying to take out a monogram. Don't spend so much that you'll be devastated if it's ruined. Though an applique may cover it up, it's not usually the best option.
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