Any seasoned embroiderer knows that the choice and use of stabilizer is crucial to producing beautiful embroidery. If you're going to be in the embroidery business, it's important that you know something about stabilizer. Newcomers to the embroidery industry may have heard of the term "backing" or "stabilizer" but may not understand: "What is it", "what does it do"? What is it for? When it comes to stabilizer, we are often asked some questions by our customers, among which are:

#1 what is stabilizer?

#2 why is stabilizer so important?

#3 what types of stabilizer?

#4 how to choose the type of stabilizer

Next, we'll answer these questions in the hopes of answering your questions and helping you become a better embroiderer.

#1 What is stabilizer?

I don't know if you've ever looked closely at the embroidered shirts or other embroidery products you buy, there will be an irregular paper-like thing on the back of the embroidery pattern (if there is not, it should have been cleaned up by the merchant at the factory). Or when you watch the embroidery video, the embroiderer will put a paper-like thing under the fabric, yes, this is the stabilizer.

Stabilizer has a membrane material, there are also non-woven material, but the majority of the liner paper is non-woven material, non-woven stabilizer non-directional nature makes it strong and stable, its manufacturing process fiber is pushed into a smooth and a single thin layer of consistency. The use of nonwoven interlining in embroidery effectively prevents the production of large quantities of lint during the embroidery process and prevents this lint from clogging the bobbin case or other machine parts. Just because a membrane liner is used in fewer places doesn't mean it's not useful. Read the entire article carefully and I'll cover membrane liners in more detail below.

#2 Why is stabilizer so important?

"stabilizer is the foundation of embroidery, necessary to support the fabric and thread", I'm sure we've all seen or heard this quote before. To this day, embroiderers are not shy about using interlining, and many of you are asking: why is it so important? This brings us to the role of stabilizer. During the machine embroidery process, we often encounter fabric puckering. When the fabric is too light or the embroidery thread is strong, the fabric underneath the embroidery plate shrinks and wrinkles. The use of backing paper can effectively prevent the fabric from puckering or stretching during the stitching process, so don't underestimate the role of backing paper, which can "determine" the success of your embroidery.

To complete a high-quality embroidery, just have a good-looking version and exquisite embroidery technology is not enough, it is also inseparable from the lining of the assistance. So don't be stingy with stabilizer, you should let it play its role to help you finish your embroidery better.

#3 What are the types of stabilizer?

When you understand the importance of stabilizer and open a shopping site to buy stabilizer, the search results show many types of stabilizer, and you must be confused: "How can there be so many types of stabilizer?"

Next, I will give you a detailed explanation.

Cut away stabilizer: When you use cut lining, you need to use scissors or other tools to cut off the excess lining after you finish embroidering.

Tear away stabilizer: Compared to cut-off liner, tear-off liner is much easier to clean up after embroidery. You don't need to use any tools, just your hands to separate the fabric from the lining, which will greatly simplify your cleanup and save you a lot of time.

Wash away stabilizer: As the name suggests, washable liners dissolve when exposed to water, so if your fabric can touch water, then you can opt for a washable liner.

Seeing this, can you tell the difference between different liners? A good embroiderer has to know this knowledge. But it is not enough to know what types of stabilizer there are, we also need to know when to use what kind of stabilizer.

#4 How to choose the type of liner paper

Cut away stabilizer.

Cut away stabilizer is one of the most commonly used liners by embroiderers because it fits most fabrics and provides maximum support. Cut away stabilizer is suitable for embroidering knitted or stretchy fabrics that stretch during the embroidery process, and Cut away stabilizer provides excellent support to stabilize the fabric and prevent the embroidery from being ruined by the stretching. At the same time, the cut away stabilizer will keep the stitches in place and prevent them from breaking or twisting after embroidery.T-shirts, sweatshirts, knitwear and polo shirts can all be made with cut away stabilizer.

There are several different types of cut away stabilizer: Heavy, Medium, Polymesh, Fusible Polymesh, and StabilStick.

Heavy Weight Cut Away stabilizer is for embroidery designs with denser stitches and can be used on most knitted fabrics. It is available in white or black, and the white liner will match most fabric colors and will not be visible through the fabric. Remember to use black liner if you are embroidering darker fabrics, especially if there is a chance that the liner will be visible or bleed through.

Medium Weight Cut Away stabilizer is also suitable for large or stitch-intensive designs on medium weight stretch fabrics such as knits and lightweight denim, but unlike Heavy Weight CutAway interlining, it is only available in white.

PolyMesh is very soft and strong. It maintains the beauty of the embroidery while being very soft on the skin, making it ideal for embroidery on baby items. It is available in black and white, so you can choose according to the color of the embroidery, with one note: white is suitable for light and thin fabrics to prevent a shadow effect.

Fusible PolyMesh is suitable for knitted fabrics or lightweight woven fabrics, e.g. knitted sweaters. It is available in white color only.

StabilStick is suitable for knitwear or stretch fabrics, e.g. jeans, and because it has a lightweight adhesive coating, it is also suitable for items that are difficult to hoop, e.g. some smooth fabrics.

When you remove the cut away stabilizer, you must be careful not to cut into the fabric as well as the embroidery design. You can leave about 1/4 inch from the edge of the embroidery when cutting so that you don't damage the embroidery design or leave too much liner behind.

Tear away stabilizer

Tear away stabilizer as its name suggests, this liner can be torn off by hand, so it is suitable for embroidery projects that require the removal of the liner, such as bed sheets, curtains. Because it is very easy to handle, it is favored by embroiderers. However, tear away stabilizer has a lower stitch density and is less stable than cut liner. Tear away stabilizer is suitable for non-stretch fabrics such as quilts, blankets, linens and towels.

There are several different types of tear away stabilizer : Heavy, Medium, Light, Ultra Clean and Tear, Ultra Clean and Tear Plus, Ultra Clean and Tear Fusible, HydroStick, StabilStick.

Heavy Weight Tear Away stabilizer is available in white only and is very hard so it can withstand high density embroidery designs.

Medium Weight Tear Away stabilizer is available in black only, and based on its color, it is suitable for darker woven fabrics, medium stitch density designs, and it is easily removed by tearing.

Light Weight Tear Away stabilizer is only available in white and is suitable for lightweight fabrics and embroidery designs with a low stitch density and is also easy to remove.

Ultra Clean and Tear stabilizer is available in white only and is a high quality, medium weight TearAway liner. It is suitable for medium stitch count embroidery designs and can be used on woven fabrics such as towels.

Ultra Clean and Tear Plus stabilizer is a medium weight stabilizer with a special, water-soluble adhesive coating. Because of this property, it is often used to hoop difficult fabrics or fabrics with smooth surfaces and tight weaves, and the Ultra Clean and Tear Plus liner will support these fabrics without distortion.

Ultra Clean and Tear Fusible stabilizer is also a medium weight Tear away stabilizer, but it has the added benefit of being ironable. It is also suitable for medium stitch count embroidery designs and can be used on woven fabrics.

HydroStick stabilizer is a medium weight Tear away stabilizer with an adhesive coating. It is ideal for hard-to-hoop, securely knit items such as ball caps and necklines, or large items such as thick seam allowances, ensuring that the item stays securely in place.

StabilStick Tear Away stabilizer is a high quality, medium weight with a lightweight adhesive coating. Use it on items that are difficult to hoop, as well as tightly woven and smooth non-stretch fabrics.

When people remove tear away stabilizer, it's best to support the stitching with one hand while removing the stabilizer with the other. If your embroidery requires strong support, you can use multiple layers of lightweight and medium-weight TearAway stabilizer, but be careful when removing it at the end: always remove it one by one, never vigorously at once or you will damage the embroidery.

Although there are many types of cut away stabilizer and tear away stabilizer, you really just have to remember that if your embroidery design is not densely stitched and has a small number of stitches, then you can just choose Light stabilizer, and vice versa, choose Heavy stabilizer.

Wash away stabilizer

Wash away stabilizer can be dissolved in warm water, it is generally suitable for sheer fabrics such as tulle, organza, etc. It is generally available in both plastic and mesh forms. It dissolves in water and the embroidery will be destabilized. Wash away stabilizer differs from cut away stabilizer and tear away stabilizer in that it can only support embroidery with a small number of stitches. It is generally suitable for velvet, corduroy and other pile fabrics.

There are three types of wash away stabilizer: Aqua film, Aqua Mesh and Badge Master.

Aqua Film is a clear backing film that is characterized by its relatively light weight, so it can generally only support embroidery designs with a small number of stitches and cannot support embroidery designs with a dense number of stitches.

Aqua Mesh is a strong opaque backing paper that can support a relatively large number of stitches. If your design has a high stitch count and you need to use a washable liner, then you may want to consider Aqua Mesh stabilizer It is also suitable for embroidery on fine, sheer or lightweight fabrics such as chiffon and organza.

Badge Master is a clear liner that is a bit heavier than Aqua Film stabilizer. If you are embroidering fine, sheer or lightweight fabrics, then Badge Master stabilizer is highly recommended.

These are just a few of the stabilizer we often use in embroidery, but I'm going to introduce two different stabilizers: Heat2Go and StitcH2O. Unlike the stabilizer mentioned above, both of these stabilizer have the characteristic that they are placed on the top of the fabric, not on the bottom. Both of these stabilizer are generally used on plush fabrics, and are used on top of the fabric to be embroidered to prevent the stitches from getting caught in the lint of the fabric, so you can pick an appropriate stabilizer based on their characteristics.

Heat2Go is a medium-weight, clear film that is generally placed on top of the fabric for use. It is suitable for securing fluffy fabric fibers, such as towels, corduroy, velvet, wool, and fleece. If your embroidery design is very precise and needs strong support, then you can consider Heat2Go,Also known as hot melt stabilizer.Heat2Go is also very easy to deal with later on, the film will disappear automatically after ironing at high temperatures, but be careful if your fabric can withstand 120°-140°C or your fabric will be damaged due to the high temperatures.

StitcH2O is a water-soluble stabilizer, again it is used when placed on top of the fabric to prevent the stitches from getting trapped in the lint of the fabric.StitcH2O is also very handy for subsequent cleanup, it tears off very well - a light wipe with water removes the residue.

If you're a beginner, then I would suggest getting a small roll of all three types of stabilizer and trying out the different types on old clothes that you don't wear. By trying them out with your hands, I'm sure you'll quickly learn what kind of fabrics these stabilizer match. If there's anything else you'd like to know, feel free to leave us a comment and thanks for reading.