STABILIZERS

This is the scoop on stabilizers. Many times I hear that people are very confused about stabilizers. We have a good collection of stabilizers here. This article put the most emphasis on stabilizers made by Sulky as they were kind enough to give me permission to use some of their material on their web site. For a very complete discussion of their stabilizers go to http://www.sulky.com/faqs/. This interesting page also covers their threads and spray adhesive.

Why use a stabilizer? Principally to provide enough support to fabric so that intensive stitching or beading can be done without distorting the fabric. There are also many specialized applications..

BASIC GUIDELINES

Decide whether your fabric is flimsy enough that it will need a permanent stabilizer to keep the weight of the embroidery from distorting the fabric through use.

If you need a permanent stabilizer will you need something soft against the skin, or something heavier for additional support.

If you do not need a permanent stabilizer how are you going to remove it after it stabilizes your fabric during the stabilization process?

If it is OK to leave the stabilizer under sections of the design or if the design  is pretty open, you may wish to use a cutaway stabilizer. This will usually provide a higher degree of support when stitching. But is impossible to remove under a heavily stitched area.

If your stitches are not fragile, then a tear away stabilizer is your next choice.

If your stitches might be damaged by tearing away the stabilizer then consider a removal process that will not damage your fabric or threads.

Water soluble stabilizer just dissolves. This works well unless you do not want to have to wash our the stabilizer and endanger parts of your project that might be damaged by water.

Another choice is heat away stabilizer where an iron is used to break the stabilizer down into a powder which can then be brushed off.

DIFFERENT USES FOR STABILIZERS

Transparent wash away stabilizers can be used for a number of things. I use them for indicating where I stitch a quilting or embroidery design on my quilt top. I trace the design I want to use on the Solvy with a thin point permanent or wash away pen. Big Caution Flag here, do not use a pen that is not permanent or wash away. It may bleed and stain your quilt. Then I either pin the Solvy to the quilt top or use a little spray adhesive and adhere it to the quilt top.

Several different stabilizers can be used on the top of fabrics like terry cloth or plush to protect the fibers from being disturbed by the needle. This is a case where a water soluble stabilizer is best.

If you want to make thread lace, either for design elements or as  a fabric, then either a water soluble stabilizer or a heat broken down stabilizer can be used. Either one is effective.

A fabric stabilizer that dissolves in water can be used for paper piecing. I would not use it on the face of the quilt though as usually a few fibers are left caught in the stitches.

There are many other ways to use stabilizers, but these examples should give you enough information to decide which one to use.