Filter
Top Products
Creating Beautiful Embroidery 167
7
Fabric/stabilizer compatibility chart
Fabric/
Garment
No. of Backing
Pieces
No. of Topping
Pieces
Comments
Terry cloth 1 tear-away 1 water-soluble
Increase density and/or satin stitch width.
Fine details and small lettering tend to get
caught in the terry loops.
Satin jacket
Heavy lining:
None
Light or no lining:
1 tear-away
None
If garment slips in frame, causing alignment
problems, wrap inner frame with masking
tape or fabric bias tape. This provides a rough
surface to grip garment and also helps
minimize frame burn.
Cotton sheeting 1 tear-away None
High-density or highly detailed designs may
require more backing. If so, use two pieces of
lightweight backing instead of one piece of
heavy backing.
Denim 1 tear-away None
Reduce speed if needle begins to heat up and
the thread breaks.
Headwear Optional Optional
Change needles more often than usual
because the buckram backing dulls needles
faster. A lightweight tear-away backing helps
reduce thread breaks and regulates thread
tension. Use a topping on corduroy or foam
cap fronts.
Dress shirt
(woven)
1 tear-away None
High-density or highly detailed designs may
require more backing. If so, use two pieces of
lightweight backing instead of one piece of
heavy backing.
Golf shirt 1 cut-away Optional
Use topping for designs containing small
lettering or a lot of detail, and also for pique
knits.
Canton fleece 1 tear-away Optional
Use a topping if the garment has a textured
surface, such as a basketweave or
pronounced twill.
Canvas 1 tear-away None Frame tightly
Corduroy 1 tear-away 1 water-soluble
A higher stitch density or more understitches,
as well as a topping, may be necessary to
prevent stitches from sinking into the fabric.
Lingerie or silk
1 or 2 lightweight
tear-away
Optional
Reduce sewing speed. The thread tension
should be low. Use topping for designs with
high detail or small lettering. For very fine
fabrics, use a thinner thread. Avoid extremely
narrow satin stitching on letters or details;
instead increase satin stitch width or use a
bean stitch. Gently remove (don’t pull)
backing and topping from garment.
Sweater knit
1 cut-away or
adhesive tear-
away
1 water-soluble
Use tightly woven organza or curtain fabric in
a matching color as a backing for bulky or
“holey” knits.
Sweatshirt
1 cut-away or
adhesive tear-
away
Optional
Highly detailed designs may require two
layers of lightweight cut-away stabilizer. Use
a topping on extra-thick fabrics or with fine-
detail designs.
T-shirt
1 light-weight cut-
away or adhesive
tear-away
Optional
Use a topping on designs with fine detail or
small lettering. Tensions should be light.
Avoid stitch-heavy designs.
Sapphire_chapt7.fm Page 167 Friday, November 18, 2005 12:10 PM