Embroidery is a valuable legacy of old times. But the world changed greatly in recent 100 years, and the way people create embroidery designs transformed. Used to be relying on hand stitching, now the activity becomes very accessible. Every man and woman can learn the technique in short terms with the help of machine and some basic instructions. It is these wonderful supplies that make completing an embroidery piece become so smooth. One of the heroes behind the scene is the stabilizer. Every machine embroiderer cannot live without it nowadays. So is it so magical? This blog will give you some inspiration.
1. Do you need an embroidery stabilizer?
Stabilizer, also known as backing, is an essential supply in machine embroidery while less used in hand stitching.
It is a material used when embroidering on stretchy fabrics. What it does is providing strong and stable support to the fabric and threads during the embroidering process. Therefore it should be made of non-woven materials with a non-directional nature. Generally speaking, all machine embroidery projects require one or more layers of stabilizers. Unless you’re dealing with really tough fabrics, like heavyweight denim. For these fabrics, you can skip this step.
Among all sorts of stabilizers, the following 4 types are the most commonly used in embroidery workshops: tear-away, wash-away, cut-away, and heat-away. Each with their own characteristics, but the wash-away stabilizer is nearly identical with the heat-away concerning only the appearance. Besides, each of these genres are normally available in fusible and sticky ones. They all serve the same purpose: preventing stitching from puckering and fabric from distorting. The table below will give you a clearer picture of what a stabilizer is.
| Stabilizer (backing): used on the back of fabrics | Tear-away | Used for stable woven fabrics that don't stretch |
| Cut-away | Used for items that are washed and worn frequently, and for heavy designs with many stitches | |
| Wash-away | Used for sheer fabrics | |
| Heat-away | Used for digitized or free-motion thread lace, cutwork, 3-D thread appliqués, etc. | |
| Topping (topper): used on the front of fabrics | Water-soluble Heat-away | Used with fabrics with a textured or surface, such as fleece, plush, etc. |
A proper stabilization can help you avoid a lot of trouble. Using one or more layers of stabilizers will give you a whole new embroidery experience if you’re new to this game-changer, to be honest.
2. What's the best stabilizer for embroidery?
There are no universal best standard, but in home embroidery, cut-away backing is highly recommended.
There are so many applications that you can use it, like in 90% of the situations. Cut-away stabilizer has longer fibers than other backings, thus can provide the most stability. When the stitching work is finished, the excess part of it will be cut and trimmed, and there will be still part of the materials be left and stays on the garments. Therefore, your stitches will hold up to more washings in daily life. So it’s perfect choice for clothes made of stretchy knits, for example. Because it prevents the designs from stretching with repeat wearing and washing. In the meanwhile, it’s also a go-to choice for beginners for it’s with the highest fault tolerance rate. When you’re starting out with machine embroidery, it’s such a good partner. However, you still have to remember that there is never a set formula on which backing is best for a particular project. It’s always important to test each type of it in various weight so that you can find out a perfect match. So, hope you a got a abundant stabilizer toolkit.
2.1 Different types of stabilizer and their uses:
| Cut-away | for fabrics that are worn and washed frequently |
| for heavy designs with plenty of stitches | |
| for fabrics that are stretchy | |
| such as T-shirts, sweatshirts, knits, flannel, onesies, fleece... | |
| Tear-away | for stable woven and less stretchy fabrics |
| for items that the back are visible | |
| such as leather, towels, vinyl, canvas, linens | |
| Wash-away | for sheer fabrics |
| such as organza, freestanding lace, 3D and cutwork designs | |
| Heat-away | for stand-alone applications |
2.2 Consideration of the other dimensions：
- Stabilizer Weight:
Backings are available in different weights, which actually refers to the density of the backings. They’re normally measured in ounces per square yd. Heavier the stabilizer, stabler the structure.
- Fabric Heaviness:
Differed fabric heaviness determines the required stabilizer varies. For knits, thicker items require a heavier backing, and thinner ones can be adequately supported with a light to medium weight backing. For wovens, a light-to-medium stabilizer is usually sufficient. For delicate, a tear-away or a dissolvable is the best.
- In Pre-Cut Sheets Or On Rolls:
There is no essential difference between the two.You can choose it according to your use habits or storage habits. If a product you love offers only one of these forms without the other one you are familiar with, then just go with it. It will not cause any trouble for the embroidery process.
For beginners who has no idea about it, the recommended solution is that you gather several small rolls of these products in hand. Find some old garments and test them on the clothing before you figure out what suits you or some particular projects the best. An embroiderer keeps 3 to 5 different types to handle various projects on average. At last, don’t forget to properly store those items.
3. What is the best stabilizer for machine embroidery on cotton fabric?
Tear-away stabilizer is the best for machine embroidery on cotton fabric.
Cotton is a kind of woven fabric with minimal stretch and requires not much support. Thus the tear-away backing is ideal for it. It’s also suitable for other materials like denim, linen, felt and fabrics with their backs visible, like tablecloths and towels. After the embroidery is finished, remove the tear-away carefully. If there are more than 1 layer of the backing are applied, tear each layer away at a time. It’s also suitable for using when the fabric is a bit of stretchy. Designs with not much stitches can be satisfied by it as well. Have a try, if it doesn’t work out, then substitute it with a cut-away.
4. What stabilizer do you use for hats?
Tear-away is the top option.
Even those hats made of thick fabrics still require backings. Because it ensures a tension on the bobbin thread. The whole procedure benefits from it as a result. Overall, the selection of the backing depends on the material and structure of the hat. Thick-fabricated and structured hats need a strong stabilizer. But soft hats are more compatible with lighter backings. Normally heavier weight tear-away stabilizers are ideal for structured caps. They offer sufficient stability and ensure clean stitches. For unstructured hats, you might need a slightly lighter stabilizer to use. Sometimes cut-away could be better if caps are made from really sturdy fabrics. But tear-away is still the most common option. It could work without adding too much bulk. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a fusible or sticky tear-away. And most hat backings are of heavier weights like 3 oz. per square yd. It differs according to the particular scenario of course.
5. Can I use fusible interfacing as embroidery stabilizer?
No, interfacing is not a replacement for stabilizer. They are two separate things serving diverse purposes.
Interfacing is permanent and used for supporting the fabric as well as prevent the puckering. It has to be light-weighted and fusible so that it achieves best results. The most frequently interfaced parts on a garment includes cuffs, collars and facings. But that’s far from the only uses. Preventing garments from being floppy and offering a better wearing experience is what the interfacing does as well. As to stabilizer, it’s support is provided for the threads. It is used for making the embroidering process smoother. Once the project is completed, it is going to be removed. Actually, in real life embroidery, some people do use interfacing to add support to the fabric. Because they think sometimes a stabilizer is too thin to hold the fabric. But why not use more layers of stabilizer, or substitute it with a thicker one? Embroidery stabilizers are all specially designed and tested for the exact job. Surely they will be more professional.
6. How many layers of stabilizer do I need for embroidery?
It varies. All the following factors, including the type of fabric, complexity of the design, type and weight of stabilizer, will affect the result. The general guidelines could be very detailed, and they don’t provide the final answer. The best method for figuring out the exact number of layers of stabilizer is to run a test.
Anyway, here are general guidelines to help you simplify the testing process:
- Cut-way – use 2 layers with all stretchy fabrics.
- Tear-Away – use 2 layers with all woven fabrics.
- Water Soluble – use 1 layer.
7. Does stabilizer go on top or bottom?
It depends. Stabilizers can actually be divided into backings and toppings (toppers). You can view the topper as a specially designed stabilizer used for preventing the embroidery stitches from sinking into the fabric, such as fleece, terry cloth and knits. These materials are with pile or texture. To ensure a clean stitch, toppers are a must-have supply, otherwise your design is definitely going to be absolved by the fabrics. Sometimes people also use toppers to make the embroidery patterns more standing-out. As to the backing, it generally goes to the wrong side of the fabric. However, according to some pro tips, water soluble and tear-away stabilizers are also applicable to be used on the front.
Conclusion
No matter in what area, it’s never easy to achieve excellence. By ensuring a both stunning and durable stitching, stabilizers become great helpers in machine embroidery. As for the secret behind properly utilizing the magic of stabilizer? Experimentation. For more information on machine embroidery, join us on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. SewTech provide high quality embroidery hoops including tubular hoops and magnetic hoops, you are very welcome to be our customers. Leave a comment, and feel free to inquire any questions regarding to the industry.