When you begin a new machine embroidery project, one of the first decisions you have to make is what stabilizer to use. Picking the right stabilizer is a crucial decision that will affect your experience and the final result of your project. Taking time to learn what stabilizer does, and which stabilizer works best for your project, can make your projects run smoother and look better. Stabilizer School is here to help you learn about stabilizer so you can spend your “ME Time” creating beautiful projects and not stressing about stabilizer.
What is Specialty Stabilizer?
Kimberbell Speciality Stabilizer doesn’t fall under Kimberbell’s Tear-Away, Cut-Away, or Wash-Away varieties, but rather is used with these stabilizers for unique projects or specific purposes. Learning what all of these awesome stabilizers do can be daunting, but using Kimberbell’s helpful Stabilizer Resource Guide makes it much easier to understand when and why to use them. The three most popular types of speciality stabilizer at ME Time are:
- Fusible Backing
- Shape Form Interfacing
- Project Batting
Each of them have their own unique purposes and are extremely useful in completing many of the Perfectly Pieced, Hoop Studio, Collectible Christmas, or Bella Box projects!
Why Fusible Backing?
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Fusible Backing is designed to help add a little extra structure to your projects, giving them better stability than just stabilizer would. Fusible Backing isn’t made to replace your other stabilizers though, it just gives your projects a little boost! To apply, just press it onto your fabric with a dry iron for 20-30 seconds before you stitch, and it fuses to the fabric. Perfectly Pieced projects often use fusible backing to help provide more substance to lighter-colored fabrics so you can’t see the stitching behind them.
Why Shape Form?
Kimberbell Shape Form is the perfect combination of strength and flexibility. Its purpose is to give projects like boxes, houses, and other 3-D projects dimension and volume. Combining Shape form with stabilizer like Cut-Away gives you the right amount of density while still being super easy to trim and manipulate. Watch for Shape Form in upcoming Hoop Studio projects, and almost all of the 2023 Collectible Christmas Holiday Village buildings!
Why Project Batting?
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Project Batting is the perfect way to make a variety of your sewing and machine embroidery projects pop. Including it in your projects helps give them dimension, texture, and stability, and is just the right thickness so it can even be stitched in the hoop. It also works great with Kimberbell Clear Blue Tiles to create your “quilt sandwiches” and is one of Kimberbell’s most popular stabilizers! Project Batting is used frequently in Perfectly Pieced projects to take beautiful projects to the next level.
Helpful Tips for Specialty Stabilizer:
- Remember, Speciality Stabilizers DON’T replace other stabilizer options, but are used with those stabilizers for a ton of fun and unique purposes.
- Along with all its other awesome features, Fusible Backing is great for reducing puckering in your projects.
- Kimberbell Project Batting is woven with a scrim liner that helps to prevent stretching and piling and is washer and dryer safe so you don’t have to worry about your projects shrinking.
- Shape Form Interfacing is machine washable and dry clean friendly, so you don't have to worry about ruining your beautiful projects if they get dirty!
- Because there are so many stabilizer options, your stabilizer corner can often become cluttered and messy. Kimberbell's Stabilizer Slap Bands are a fantastic and super easy way to organize all of your stabilizers so you never have to worry about clutter and confusion!
Kimberbell's super handy Stabilizer Reference Chart is a great way to discover the ins and outs of every variety of stabilizer and determine what is best for your specific project!
Download the Kimberbell Stabilizer Reference Chart!
ABOUT ME TIME: Every machine embroiderer knows how frustrating it can be to find the time and materials to start a new project. ME Time delivers complete machine embroidery experiences right to your doorstep so you can start creating the moment you're ready!
