Understanding Machine Embroidery StabilizersStabilizer

When you first start machine embroidery, one of the supplies you'll hear about almost immediately is stabilizer. If you're wondering what it is, why you need it, or which kind to use, you're not alone. Stabilizer is one of those things that sounds complicated at first, but the basic idea is actually pretty easy. Stabilizer supports your fabric while your embroidery machine is stitching. It helps keep the fabric from shifting, stretching, puckering, or pulling while thousands of stitches are being added to it. For most machine embroidery projects, stabilizer is an important part of getting a clean, smooth finished design.

Think about what happens when your embroidery machine stitches a design. The needle moves up and down very quickly, placing stitch after stitch into the same area of fabric. Without enough support, some fabrics can stretch or move while the machine is stitching.

• Puckering around the design
• Stitches that do not line up correctly
• Fabric that looks stretched
• Designs that do not lie flat

Stabilizer helps hold everything steady. Your fabric is what you see. Your stabilizer is the support underneath it.

There are many stabilizer products available, but as a beginner, you really only need to understand three basic types.

Cut-Away Stabilizer

Cut-away stabilizer stays behind the embroidery after you finish stitching. When the design is complete, you trim the extra stabilizer away from around the embroidery. Cut-away is especially useful when your fabric is soft, stretchy, or needs continued support.

• T-shirts
• Sweatshirts
• Knit fabrics
• Clothing
• Projects with heavier embroidery

If you're not sure whether your fabric may stretch while stitching, cut-away is often worth considering.

Tear-Away Stabilizer

Tear-away stabilizer is removed after the embroidery is finished. Once the design is stitched, you gently tear the extra stabilizer away from around the stitches.

It works well with many stable fabrics that do not stretch very much.

• Cotton fabric
• Quilting cotton
• Some towels
• Decorative projects
• Firm woven fabrics

Cut-away gets cut away. Tear-away gets torn away.

Wash-Away Stabilizer

Wash-away stabilizer dissolves when it comes in contact with water. This is useful when you do not want any stabilizer left behind after the project is finished. A very common example is freestanding lace, often called FSL. With freestanding lace, the embroidery is stitched directly onto water-soluble stabilizer. When the stabilizer is rinsed away, the thread design is left on its own. Wash-away stabilizer can also be helpful on delicate projects where you do not want permanent backing remaining behind the stitches.

A good starting point is to look at your fabric and your project.

These are starting points, not rules for every project. The design itself matters too. A large or stitch-heavy design may need more support than a small, light design. That's why project instructions are so helpful. If the designer recommends a particular stabilizer, especially when you're a beginner, it's a good idea to follow that recommendation.

For many basic embroidery projects, the fabric and stabilizer are placed together in the embroidery hoop. The stabilizer usually sits behind the fabric.

1. Cut a piece of stabilizer slightly larger than your embroidery hoop.
2. Place the stabilizer behind your fabric.
3. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together.
4. Make sure everything is smooth and secure.
5. Attach the hoop to your embroidery machine.
6. Stitch your design.

Some projects use different methods, but this is a good basic technique to understand first.

You want enough stabilizer to properly support the entire area inside your hoop. Avoid using a tiny piece that only sits underneath the design itself. For a beginner, it's easier to work with a piece that extends beyond the edges of the hoop so you can hoop everything securely. After the embroidery is finished, you can remove the extra stabilizer according to the type you're using.

• Cut-away: Carefully trim the excess stabilizer around the back of the embroidery.
• Tear-away: Gently tear the extra stabilizer away from the stitches.
• Wash-away: Follow the stabilizer instructions for removing it with water.

Always be careful around your embroidery stitches when removing stabilizer. You don't want to accidentally cut or pull the stitched design.

It's tempting to think, “My fabric feels thick enough. Do I really need stabilizer?” In most machine embroidery projects, the answer is yes. Even fabric that feels sturdy can shift or pucker once the machine begins adding lots of stitches. Using the proper stabilizer gives the embroidery a stronger foundation and can make a big difference in how the finished project looks.

Once you find a stabilizer you like, it can be tempting to use it on every project. But a T-shirt and a freestanding lace ornament have very different needs. You don't need a huge collection when you're starting. Having a few basic types gives you plenty to work with:

• A cut-away
• A tear-away
• A wash-away

From there, you'll naturally learn which ones you reach for most often.

Choosing stabilizer isn't only about the fabric. The embroidery design matters too. A small design with fewer stitches may not need the same amount of support as a large design with lots of stitching packed closely together. This is sometimes called design density - how much stitching is concentrated in an area. As a beginner, you don't need to calculate density. Just remember: More stitching usually means your fabric needs good support.

When you're getting ready to embroider, think about three things:

1. What fabric am I using?
2. Does the fabric stretch?
3. What stabilizer does the project or design recommend?

Then choose your stabilizer from there. If you are following a project from EmbroideryDesigns.com, check the materials list before starting. Many projects tell you exactly which type of stabilizer was used.

There are specialty stabilizers, different weights, adhesive versions, toppings, and lots of other choices available. You will learn about those as you take on different projects. For now, remember the three basics: Cut-away stays. Tear-away tears away. Wash-away dissolves in water. Once you understand those differences, choosing stabilizer becomes much easier. The goal isn't to memorize every product on the shelf. It's to give your fabric the support it needs so your embroidery has the best chance of stitching beautifully.