Which embroidery stabilizer for which fabric?
By BobbinBot. Published .
Use cut-away under anything that stretches, like t-shirts, polos, hoodies and beanies, and tear-away under stable wovens like canvas and denim. On fluffy fabric such as a towel, add a water-soluble topping so the stitches stay on top.
The settings we use, item by item
Every BobbinBot sew-out kit prints the row for your item from this table. It comes straight from config/items.json, the file our engine and our kits both read, so it is the same advice you get with a design.
| Item | Fabric | Stabilizer | Needle |
|---|---|---|---|
| T-shirt | Knit | Cut-away stabilizer | Ballpoint needle, 75/11 |
| Polo | Pique knit | Cut-away stabilizer | Ballpoint needle, 75/11 |
| Hoodie or sweatshirt | Fleece knit | Cut-away stabilizer | Ballpoint needle, 75/11 |
| Beanie | Fleece knit | Cut-away stabilizer, with water-soluble topping on chunky knits | Ballpoint needle, 75/11 |
| Towel | Terry | Tear-away stabilizer, with water-soluble topping on the terry | Sharp needle, 75/11 |
| Tote bag | Canvas | Tear-away stabilizer | Sharp needle, 75/11 |
| Pillow cover | Canvas | Tear-away stabilizer | Sharp needle, 75/11 |
| Denim | Heavy woven | Tear-away stabilizer | Denim needle, 90/14 |
| Jacket back | Heavy woven | Cut-away stabilizer | Sharp needle, 90/14 |
| Patch | Twill or felt | Cut-away or tear-away, plus topping if the twill is textured | Sharp needle, 75/11 |
| Cap | Twill or felt | Tear-away cap backing | Sharp needle, 75/11 |
Why stretchy fabric needs cut-away
Stitches pull on the fabric while they sew, and a knit gives way where a woven holds. A stabilizer is a layer under the fabric that takes that pull. Cut-away stays in the garment after sewing: you trim the extra around the design, and the rest keeps supporting the stitches through every wear and wash. Tear-away is torn off once the design is done, so it supports the stitches while they sew and not after.
Brother's support pages say the same: cut-away for medium to heavy knits, and tear-away for medium-weight wovens and sturdy fabrics such as canvas, poplin and denim. Brother also warns against stabilizers that stretch diagonally. That is why every knit in our table, from t-shirt to beanie, gets cut-away, and canvas and denim get tear-away.
The jacket back is the one woven in our table with cut-away. It takes the largest designs we make, up to 250 mm wide (config/items.json), and Brother notes that cut-away can be used on wovens as well as knits. Tear-away, the other way round, gives a knit no support once it is torn off.
Get the stabilizer with your design
Pick the item you are stitching on. Every design comes with a sew-out kit that names the stabilizer, needle and hooping for it. Your first design is free.
Topping: when the fabric has a pile
Topping is a thin layer on top of the fabric, not under it. On towels, a water-soluble film keeps the stitches from sinking into the loops; afterwards it rinses away. Brother's support page says topping is needed on fabrics with a pile-like surface.
In our table, topping goes on the towel, on chunky knit beanies, and on patch twill when it is textured. Brother also lists water-soluble stabilizer as a backing for towels. We use tear-away underneath with topping on top; both are common, and the topping matters more for how the stitches look.
Needles go with the fabric too
Our settings pair ballpoint needles with knits and sharp needles with wovens. Heavy fabric gets a bigger needle: our denim and jacket settings use 90/14, and everything else 75/11. Your machine's manual may name its own needles; follow it where it differs.
Hooping, in one line each
| Item | Hooping |
|---|---|
| T-shirt | Hoop the stabilizer and the shirt together. Keep the shirt smooth, not stretched. |
| Hoodie or sweatshirt | Hoop flat. Keep the hood and pocket out of the hoop. |
| Towel | Hoop the stabilizer, float or pin the towel, and put topping over the pile. |
| Denim | Hoop the denim tight and flat. Avoid thick seams. |
| Cap | Hoop the front panel flat with the backing, or use your machine's cap frame. Keep the design low and centered on the seam. |
| Beanie | Fold the cuff up and hoop it flat. Do not stretch the knit in the hoop. |
The rule behind all of them: smooth, never stretched. Fabric stretched in the hoop can spring back when you take it out, and pull the stitches with it. That is one of the causes in our guide to why embroidery puckers.
Stabilizer is half of it
The design itself has to suit the fabric. Our engine changes fill spacing, underlay and pull compensation for each fabric, and our guide to how auto digitizing works lists those settings. A dense design made for denim will pull a t-shirt out of shape even on cut-away.
Questions
Can I use tear-away stabilizer on a t-shirt?
We do not recommend it. A t-shirt is a knit, and once tear-away is gone nothing holds the stitches when the shirt stretches. Use cut-away.
What stabilizer do I need for towels?
We use tear-away under the towel and a water-soluble topping on top. Brother also lists water-soluble stabilizer as a towel backing.
What is the difference between cut-away and tear-away?
Cut-away stays in after sewing and keeps supporting the stitches. Tear-away is torn off when the design is done.
What is embroidery topping for?
It keeps stitches on top of fabrics with a pile, like towels, so they do not sink in. Water-soluble topping rinses away afterwards.
Which needle should I use for embroidery on knits?
A ballpoint needle, 75/11 in our settings, for t-shirts, polos, hoodies and beanies.
Can I embroider without stabilizer?
Rarely well. Without it the fabric moves and puckers under the stitches. Even sturdy canvas gets tear-away in our settings.
Sources
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