Backing & Stabilizers

Embroidery Stabilizers & Embroidery Backings Support While You Stitch.

Even stitches need a little support from time to time! Reinforce your fabric for hand or machine embroidery with Embroidery Stabilizers and Embroidery Backings from WAWAK. Embroidery Stabilizers (also known as Embroidery Backing) are used on the backside of the area you want to embroider to reinforce the fabric and provide a more stable base for your stitching. Using a stabilizer helps prevent the fabric from stretching or puckering while you work, resulting in more even stitching and helping to avoid distortion of the fabric and design. After you're done stitching your design, the stabilizer can be removed one of three ways, depending on the style of the stabilizer. Tear Away Stabilizers can be torn off the fabric right up to the stitches, leaving you with little or no remaining stabilizer. Water Soluble Stabilizers dissolve completely in water, so you can soak or wash them to remove the backing. Cutaway Stabilizers are more difficult to remove, so they're a good option if you want to leave the backing in place for added reinforcement—simply trim away any excess stabilizer. Embroidery Stabilizers are available in pre-cut sheets or full rolls. Shop for fabric stabilizers and backings here to get started.

Frequently Asked Questions About Backing & Stabilizers

Do I need to use stabilizer for my embroidery project?

Using a stabilizer is recommended for almost all machine embroidery projects, as the quick action of the needle can cause uneven stitching, puckering, or fabric stretching without reinforcement. For hand embroidery, using a stabilizer or backing is not always necessary—it's primarily used for delicate or stretch fabrics that require a bit of extra support to prevent fabric stretching and distortion of the design. Water-soluble stabilizer is also sometimes used in hand embroidery to help transfer designs.

What is the difference between embroidery stabilizers and interfacing?

Embroidery backings and stabilizers are intended to provide support for stitching while you're working and be removed when the project is complete. Interfacings are intended to be a more permanent addition to the fabric to change qualities like its drape, weight, and structure.