How to Use Sticky Paper as an Embroidery Stabilizer

You get the best results with machine embroidery when you hoop the fabric and stabilizer together, but some items cannot be easily hooped. Some towels or blankets may be too thick to hoop. Items such as baby socks and collars are too small to be hooped. Materials such as velvet or leather can be permanently marked by the hoop. In these cases, sticky stabilizer is a convenient alternative. Sticky stabilizer also works well for stretchy knit fabrics because each thread in the fabric is adhered to the stabilizer and held in place during the stitching.

Things You'll Need

• Sticky stabilizer
• Hobby knife
• Fabric or item to be embroidered
• Embroidery machine
• Embroidery design

Instructions

1. Cut a piece of peel-and-stick or wet-and-stick stabilizer slightly larger than your embroidery hoop. These stabilizers are usually labeled as appropriate for "hoopless embroidery."

2. Place the stabilizer in the hoop with the adhesive facing up. The stabilizer should be taut inside the hoop. If you thump the stabilizer, it should sound like a drum.

3. Use a hobby knife to score the paper backing all the way around the inside edge of the hoop if you're using peel-and-stick stabilizer. Peel the paper away to expose the glue. If you're using wet-and-stick stabilizer, wet your fingers and rub them around the center of the stabilizer inside the hoop. You can also use a spray bottle filled with water to moisten the glue. Do not over-wet the stabilizer.

4. Adhere the fabric to the hooped stabilizer. Use the marks on the hoop to align the area of the fabric to be embroidered. Rub your fingers around the fabric inside the hoop to stick it to the stabilizer. If you're using wet-and-stick stabilizer, you may need to wait a few minutes for the glue to dry.

5. Attach the hoop to the embroidery machine, align the needle with the center point and stitch out the design. Be careful to keep the excess fabric out of the way.

6. Remove the hoop from the machine and gently peel the fabric away from the stabilizer tearing around the stitches. If you used wet-and-stick stabilizer, moisten the fabric to make it easier to remove the stabilizer.

Tips & Warnings

• Some higher-quality peel-and-stick stabilizers can be reused. Simply cut a "patch" of stabilizer slightly larger than the hole left by the design and attach another piece of fabric to be embroidered. You may be able to use the same piece of stabilizer three to four times before the glue loses its stick.

• It may be necessary to "float" another piece of tear-away or cut-away stabilizer behind the design. Simply slide the extra piece of stabilizer between the hoop and the needle plate. The first stitches will attach the floating stabilizer to the hoop and it will move along with the hoop for the remainder of the stitching.

• When working with fabrics that have a "nap" such as terry, corduroy or delicate fabrics, use wet-and-stick stabilizer and wet the fabric before removing it to keep the stabilizer from pulling the threads of the fabric.

• For best results, you should hoop the fabric and stabilizer together. Sticky stabilizer should be used only for applications that are difficult or impossible to hoop.

• Sticky stabilizer can "gum up" the embroidery needle over time. If you're having problems with thread breaking, stitches skipping or bobbin thread showing through the embroidery, clean the needle with alcohol to remove any adhesive that may be stuck to the needle.

• The adhesive from the stabilizer can cause more lint than usual to build up and stick inside the bobbin case. If you're using sticky stabilizer, check the bobbin case and clean it as needed.

Resources

• Embroider Library Projects: Techniques and Tips