Debsews Embroidery designs, home of the new Hand Beading Machine Embroidery Designs
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This page contains tips and techniques for making beautiful machine embroidery. I can only pass on what I have learned. I am sure that there is more to add here. I am also sure that you may not agree with some of what is here. Either way I would love to hear from you.
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What kind to use:
The rule of thumb is to match your stabilizer to your fabric. You want to use heavier stabilizer on heavier fabric.
You also want to use a cutaway with a knit. Tearaways are great and convenient but are only good for fabric that doesnt stretch. If you use a tear away on a fabric that stretches it will "tear away" during the embroidery. You don't want that.
Sticky stabilizers are also very convenient but can wreak havoc on your machine. As the thread is drawn back up, as it is with each stitch, the sticky stuff can get into your machine and gunk up the works. If you really need to keep the stabilizer attached really well, I suggest you stitch a box around the embroidery area. You can use the frames that are most likely on board your embroidery machine. Just remember to stitch them out in a long straight stitch. Sometimes you have a type of fabric that you just cant hoop, because of the hoop burn. Then you will need to use a sticky stabilizer. I recommend using the peel and stick. Simply hoop only the stabilizer. Score the paper backing with a pin and peel away an area equivalent to the embroidery design size. Then stick your fabirc to it.
Stabilizers are only used on the top side of the fabric when you need to hold down fibers. Such as velvet, or toweling.
This is all fine, but if you ask me what kind of stabilizer I use I will tell you HYDROSTICKY! This is my very favorite stabilizer. Reason #1: You only hoop the stabilizer! Reason #2: Once it dries it is not sticky and wont gunk up your machine, reason #3 nothing moves! You hoop only the stabilizer, wet it, stick the area of the fabric where you want to embroider to it. It is not going to go anywhere. This stabilizer is like glue once it dries, nothing is going to move. Its also great for small items like little girls socks. Once the embroidery is done, don't try to pull the stabilizer off! Wet it first and it will fall off!
Stabilizer options
Believe it or not I have used freezer paper for stabilizer. Only when it's a simple applique design though,. I am not sure I would use it on a more complicated embroidery design.
I have also heard of using certain plastic wraps, the press and seal kind. I have not tried this myself. If you have please let me know how it works!
You can reuse scraps of water soluble stabilizer. Put the scraps in a jar and add enough water to make a paste. Then paint the stabilizer on the fabric. Then you will need to wait for it to dry. Or you can spread the paste out on a cookie sheet to dry and re-use. I have also heard of ironing the pieces together. Place them between two layers of newspaper and iron them.
Outlines can drive me Crazy!! But I have a great tip. Is there a small space between the outline and the fill? Pick up a small black permanent marker and fill it in! I PROMISE no one will be able to tell!! Use one of the markers sold for signing quilts. It will never wash out.
Heres another tip. Sew the outline in a regular machine with a regular straight stitch!
Ok, so whats with the fuzzy thread? Here's what I know so far. Its a thread that is fuzzy but all the fuzz
is pressed down, so it looks like regular thread. After you stitch out your design you "fluff" it up. I know
of two on the market right now. Madiera makes one called "Burmi Lana" and Monet also makes one.
It is a delicate thread so its best to use a large 100 size needle. You may also want to decrease your
tension, this will make it easier to "fluff it up". The design you use it on needs to be digitized especially for its use. You may not have a lot of luck just replacing a color in a regular design with it.
It looks awesome. I hope this helps! Debbie@debsews.net
click to enlarge
Here's a tip from Jean in Florida: She works in Joanns Fabric and had a customer tell her to use coffee filters as stabilizer. Press them out and use two. She tried it and it worked great they tear away!
This one is from Mariann in PA: I was doing Christmas embroidery and ran out of the plastic stuff you put on top of loopy stuff, in this case a throw, and used the new press and seal saran wrap like stuff you get in the grocery at walmart and it worked beautiful! And it was much cheaper than the special stuff we buy
Here's a good one: When you are buying blanks buy 2 instead of one. You will not worry so much about ruining the first and therefore wont! If you don't need the extra you can always return it or use it....for Christmas maybe?
Removing machine embroidery: Cant be done you say? But it can! And its simple! I use a mans beard shaver and just shave that design off the fabric. It works!
Here's some good ones from Shirley in Tennessee: Cut the crinkly shopping bags (like the ones from Walmart--everyone has tons of these.) Put spray adhesive on the back of a piece that is larger than your hoop. Join another piece of bag to the first one. Lightly spray the joined sections and attach to your fabric. Put the fabric in the hoop. Float a piece of tearaway on the back. I have even used tightly woven fabric as an extra stabilizer for knits. Simply cut away the extra fabric close to the stitching. Works great!! No more stretching or pulled stitches.
I have been doing some gift cards using a card program and embroidering something that I insert in a cutout in the front of the card. For Stabilizer I have been using used dryer sheets. I have to put two together but it works great and is cheap. I use only the ones I have already used in the dryer. You have to cut it away from your design tho.
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