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Understanding Machine Embroidery StabilizerWhat is the purpose of embroidery stabilizer, anyway? (And what exactly is it?) Embroidery stabilizer is used to “stabilize” your fabric while you are sewing. It is similar to interfacing used in normal sewing. It helps strengthen your fabric so that the repetitive sewing doesn’t destroy it. It also helps keeps your fabric tight in your embroidery hoop, and keeps the fabric from stretching out of shape. Stabilizer can be made out of fabric or paper fibers. (Along with a bunch of other man-made and natural stuff, too.) There are a lot of different types out there. Each of the basic types varies with brand. There are a lot of different options with each type, too, depending on the brand. I’ll try to help you with the basic uses of the basic types, but the brands and options are all up to you!! Totally confusing for the newbie, I know. The best thing to do is experiment. Choose a type, then a brand and try it out. Next time, you can try a different brand, or option, of the same type and see how they compare. You could also ask around and see what others recommend for the type of machine embroidery project you are doing. Basic Embroidery Stabilizer Types Cut Away Embroidery Stabilizer Cut away stabilizers have to be cut off of your fabric. They are usually the thickest, and feel just like a strong, or starched, fabric. There are multiple thickness (thin to heavy duty) and two (2) color options (black and white) offered with this type. The different brands will have different looks, feels and flexibility to them. This is the most commonly used and the most inexpensive type. You want to use this type when no one will see the back of your stitches, and the stitching needs to be super durable. (Example: Embroidered shirts, embroidered blankets, embroidered towels, etc...) Iron on (fusible) stabilizers are similar to the cut away. They are ironed into place, and left permanently on the back of your project. You have the choice of single-sided and double-sided fusing, two (2) basic thicknesses (standard and mesh), and few different color choices (black, white and beige) The advantage to this kind is there is absolutely no slipping between the fabric and stabilizer. Sometimes your stabilizer and fabric can stretch or move differently. This can cause bunching of the stabilizer within the stitches, or within the stitched areas. You want to use this type when no one will see the back of your stitches, and the stitching needs to be super durable. (Example: Embroidered shirts, embroidered blankets, embroidered towels, etc...) Self Adhesive Embroidery Stabilizer Self adhesive stabilizers have built-in “glue” on them. They work like a sticker. You peel the backing off and stick the stabilizer to your fabric. (I have only seen single-sided adhesive, but I’m sure if double-sided adhesive not available yet, it will be soon!) The color options on this are usually white or clear. This is more like a paper product than a fabric product. You leave most of this product on your completed project, as well. You want to use this type when trying to stitch on something that you can’t hoop. You can hoop the stabilizer, remove a portion of the backing, and stick your project to the sticky stabilizer. (Example: Embroidered hats, embroidered duffle bags, etc...) This type can have problems when washed, so use this also on projects that won’t need regular laundering. Note: Don’t remove all the backing before hooping this stabilizer! You’ll never get it, or the glue, off your hoop!! The downfall to this type of stabilizer is it tends to gum up your needle. You need to make sure and slow your machine speed down when using it so that it will give the needle more time to move in and out of the glue. Permanent Topper Embroidery Stabilizer This is another type of stabilizer that stays on your completed project permanently. The difference is, this one stays on top of the fabric, underneath the stitches. (This is an extra, in my book. It is not necessary. It is mostly for the looks of the finished project.) The benefits of this product is that it allows you to stitch designs on uneven or embossed fabrics, and on high nap fabrics like terry cloth, without the pattern or nap showing through your stitches. It also helps hide the fabric beneath the stitches, so it doesn’t show through. (This is great for some of those, not so perfectly digitized or thin stitch coverage, embroidery designs.) This product also allows you to reduce the stitch density on designs so you can put a thick design on a thinner fabric without overpowering the fabric. You want to use this type of stabilizer on lumpy or fluffy fabrics or with thin stitch density designs. (Example: Terry cloth, embossed fabrics, raised patterned fabrics, etc...) Note: Make sure not to use this under a design with open, unstitched, areas. You can’t remove this product, it’s there to stay! Tear Away Embroidery Stabilizer Tear away stabilizers can be torn away around the stitching areas. (This is my favorite type, and the one I use the most.) Where the needle has gone through, it will punch holes. This makes it tear easily right at the stitching. I like this type because it doesn’t leave anything behind other than your stitches. It remains underneath the stitches stabilizing the fabric, but it doesn’t remain in any of the un-stitched areas. (Unless it’s a really small area.) There is a wide variety of thicknesses (thin to heavy duty) and two (2) colors to choose from. Each brand with have its own feel and flexibility. You can use this on any of your embroidery where you want the back of your project to stay nice and neat and not have a lot of excess stabilizer showing around the stitching. (Example: Embroidered hand towels, embroidered single layer blankets, embroidered shirts, etc...) The downfall to this type of stabilizer is it does leave little “fuzzies” around the edges that it is torn from. When using this in your in-the-hoop designs, you may have to trim up the edges a little bit. Some brands are worse for this than others. Water Soluble (Wash Away) Embroidery Stabilizer In my opinion, water soluble stabilizers are the coolest types out there. They actually dissolve and disappear with water! (It’s really neat to watch your design come to life by running a little water over the fabric.) You can use these when you only need the fabric held in place temporarily, but want the stabilizer to go away when your project is finished. There are multiple kinds available. You can choose hot or cold water soluble, thin to thicker weights, cut away or tear away, and clear to white in color. Some will feel like fabric, while others will feel like paper. Some you can squirt with a squirt bottle to get them to dissolve, and others will have to be soaked or washed off. This is the most expensive type of stabilizer, and so the most sparingly used. Use this type of stabilizer when doing any sort of lace work, or to temporarily hold down the nap of a fabric. (Example: Free standing lace, terry cloth fabrics, etc...) I use this in addition to a cut away or a tear away when embroidering on thinner t-shirts. The thicker cut and tear away stabilizers are what will actually hold the stitches, and stabilize the finished product, but sometimes you need a little extra during stitching. I like to use this kind, because it will disappear in the wash. Now that I’ve completely overwhelmed you with the options and choices of options within the same styles of embroidery stabilizers, let me add some more tid bits! (Sorry, has to be done....) Stabilizer thickness is also important. Sometimes when an embroidery design is not stitching out as desired, it’s bunching up the stitching or pulling in odd ways, it’s your stabilizer causing the problem. It’s not the fabric, thread or bobbin tension, or even the needle, you just need to alter your stabilizer configuration. (Add more, subtract some, try a different thickness, style or brand.) You can also mix and match the types of embroidery stabilizers to get different results. I mix tear away or cut away on the bottom with water soluble on the top, quite regularly with much success. Note: Occasionally, thicker stabilizers have to be used with thinner fabrics, and visa versa. If you end up needing a thicker stabilizer and don’t want to go to the store again, you could use two (2) pieces of a thinner one to make up the difference. (It’s a impossible to make a thicker one thinner, so I usually buy on the thinner side. I can always double up if I have to!!) Figuring out which embroidery stabilizers will work best for you for each individual project can sometimes be intimidating. Remember, everyone has been there. We’ve all had our own set of disasters. It’s just a matter of trial and error once you get the basics down. If you follow the basic guidelines, you should be able to easily overcome any “disaster” you run across!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Want to ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Return to Embroidered Gifts
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