How to Embroider Hats with the Melco Summit: A Complete Guide
- Kelly Bazzle
- Apr 16
- 6 min read
So, you want to start embroidering hats but you want to learn more about it first? You're in the right place! Embroidering hats can seem a bit daunting at first, but with the right tools and a bit of guidance, you can do it, too!
In this post, I'll walk you through everything you need to start embroidering hats using the Melco Summit embroidery machine. From the essential supplies to step-by-step instructions, I've got you covered. Plus, I'll share my special link for the Melco Summit, so you can check it out for yourself. Melco and I partnered together to make sure everyone I send their way gets the right machine for them, and the best deal possible!
The Best Hat Embroidery Machine: Why I Use the Melco Summit
When it comes to hat embroidery, the Melco Summit is a game-changer. Here's why:
Acti-Feed™ Thread Control: Ensures precise stitching, even on curved surfaces like hats.
Automatic Thread Tensioning: No need for manual adjustments—saving you time and frustration.
Tubular Arm Design: Makes it easier to embroider on structured hats and caps.
Modular Design: Allows for expansion as your business grows.
Ready to take the plunge? Click here to check out the Melco Summit embroidery machine.
Embroidery Supplies You Need for Hat Embroidery
Before diving into your first hat embroidery project, make sure you have the following:
Melco Embroidery Machine – Get yours here
Hat or Cap Hoop: Melco's cap driver and hoop system is highly recommended. It makes things so much easier!
Stabilizer: Choose between cut-away or tear-away, depending on the hat style. This is the stabilizer you will use for most hats and it's easy to tear away after the had has been embroidered.
Water-Soluble Embroidery Topping: This stuff isn't required, but I have found that it makes your stitches look clearer and pop better on your hats/clothing/towels/etc. For hats, you'll need something like this 5"x5"roll of perforated sheets to place on top of your hat before you start embroidering.
Embroidery Thread & Bobbins: Polyester thread is ideal for durability. This is the thread that I use for most of my projects, especially hats. I also LOVE these magnetic bobbins that you can order from Allstitch.com. If you find that you're embroidering with a lot of black, it's best to invest in some black thread bobbins so that the white bobbin thread doesn't come through in your designs.
Embroidery Scissors or Snips: You can usually find some great kits, like this one, to get all of the embroidery scissors you'll need. I always get extra because God knows, I always put my scissors down and then lose them for 5 minutes, every time. Can anyone else relate?
Embroidery Puff Foam: (Optional) To give that 3D puff embroidery look on hats and other items. Allstitch.com carries a variety of colors here. Pro Tip: Always use a similar color foam to match your thread color.
Heat Gun or Steamer (Optional): Useful for reshaping hats after hooping.
How to Embroider Hats with the Melco Summit: Step-by-Step Tutorial
1. Choose the Right Hat
Start with structured or semi-structured hats that have a large front panel. Trucker hats, snapbacks, and flat-brim caps are popular choices.
I'm sharing some of my favorite hats you can order from AllDayShirts.com. I found them when I was first starting my embroidery adventure and I've found their shipping and their pricing is some of the best around. I also decided to partner with them as an affiliate because of this... so, these links are affiliate links, and when you order through my link, I will earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. So, thank you for supporting my mission to help other creatives like myself start the embroidery business they're dreaming of.
These are the most popular hats for Men:
Trucker Hat: Richardson 112 Trucker Snapback. You can choose from more than 100 color combos at AllDayShirts.com.
Starts at $7.95 per hat
Trucker with Rope: Richardson 112 5-Panel Trucker Snapback with Rope. Check them out at AllDayShirts.com.
Starts at $8.25 per hat
Flat Bill Snapback: The Sport-Tek Yupoong Flat Bill Snapback Cap is very popular and comes in 12 different color combinations. These hats start at $7.91 per hat.
Low Profile Trucker: The Richardson 115 Low Pro Trucker is perfect for those who like a more tailored fit. It comes in 38 color combinations and starts at $7.95 per hat. This is a great option for women, too!
Check out the Most Popular Unisex Hats here.
These are the most popular hats for Women:
Foam Trucker: 5-Panel Trucker with Foam Front (Always use water soluble topping with these to help the embroidery pop out of the foam. Puff Foam is also a great addition to these hats). Check them out at AllDayShirts.com.
Starts at $1.79 per hat
The Dad Cap: The Basic and Best Selling Structured Dad Hat is great to use for Bachelorette Party orders, Baseball Mom designs, and more. Check them out at AllDayShirts.com.
Starts at $2.99 per hat
Washed Trucker: If you're looking for a washed look, the Infinity Her TESS Women's Mesh-Back Cap is really popular with women on Etsy. It starts at $8.48 and comes in 17 color combinations.
Check out the Most Popular Unisex Hats here.
These are the most popular hats for Kids:
Basic Baseball Cap: If you're on the hunt for a simple, but durable kids baseball hat, look no further than the Port & Company 6-Panel Twill Cap. It comes in 15 different colors and it starts at $3.96 per hat.
Trucker Hat: Want something like the Richardson 112, but for kids? This is the hat you're looking for! Richardson offers their best selling hat in a youth size. They start at $7.95 per hat.
Foam Trucker: There's also a youth version of the foam trucker hat. It starts at $6.38 per hat and comes in five different color combinations.
There are a lot of different brands out there and some great wholesale sites to choose from. I love hearing about the hats you find that you love, so feel free to reach out to me and share your experience. I'm active on instagram and here to chat!
2. Hoop the Hat Properly
Attach the hat to the cap frame, ensuring it's tight and centered. I use the Melco cap hooping system for the best results and mount the cap gauge to a tabletop to get the hat in place. Smooth out any wrinkles and secure the backing with adhesive spray if needed.
The kit mentioned above includes the Red Wide Angle Cap Frame Driver Kit (it comes with two of the frames). This kit is compatible with the EMT16, the Amaya XTS, the Amaya XT, the Bravo, and the Summit machines.
3. Load Your Design
Using Melco’s DesignShop software, load your hat embroidery file onto a USB drive. One of the features I really love about the Summit is the ability to create a print-out for each design you create that will include a barcode that can be scanned by your Summit to load the design instantly. Talk about efficient.
4. Check Thread and Tension
With the Summit’s Acti-Feed technology, you won’t need to manually adjust thread tension. Just ensure you're using quality thread and that everything is threaded correctly. Then, make sure your design is centered where you want it and check the presser-foot placement. Here's a really great guide on how to make sure your presser-foot is in a good spot. I usually set the Acti-Feed around 6 or 7 for structured hats on my Summit. The stitches per minute can be around 900-1,000 for hats.
5. Start Stitching!
Run a trace to ensure your design is centered, place water soluble topping on the area to be embroidered (sometimes I pin it to either side of the cap far from where the embroidery will be happening) then start embroidering. Keep an eye on your machine, but let the Summit do the heavy lifting. Here's a clip of one of my recent creations embroidering on my Summit.
6. Finishing Touches
Once your design is complete, remove the hoop, snip any jump stitches, tear away the backing (if you used tear-away) and the topping and give the hat a light steam if needed to reshape. If you used water soluble topping, use a handheld mister and lightly mist your hat (this water mister has more than 54K reviews on Amazon) and then take a microfiber cloth and rub the rest of the topping off of the embroidery.
If you used puff foam, it's best to use a heat gun on the low setting (about 6 inches away so you don't scorch the hat) to help the foam restrict and get rid of any foam texture popping out of the stitches. This heat gun is a top seller on Amazon and less than $30.
Pro Tips for Better Hat Embroidery
Use a Hat Hooping Station: For consistent results every time.
Start Slow: Use a lower stitch speed until you're comfortable.
Avoid Dense Designs: They can warp or crush the hat's structure.
Test First: Always do a sample run on a similar hat before running large batches.
Ready to Elevate Your Hat Game?
Adding custom embroidered hats to your offerings is a fantastic way to diversify your products and increase profits. With the Melco Summit embroidery machine, you can create high-quality, professional-looking hats that your customers will love.
Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further assistance. Happy stitching!
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