Advice please. I'm doing a dense design on a canvas tote. It's 53,000 stitches. I've done some similar recently with 30,000 stitches and used 3 layers of cutaway. Should I add more stabilizer to this one? Maybe 2 extra layers of tearaway on the back?

I did Tote bags with canvas material and used no stabilizer with a EL design It came out beautiful. The material was stiff enough to hold all the stitches. Hope that helps.

Sewmom…...I do canvas without any stabilizer...…..as long as it is hooped well, the canvas should be sturdy enough...….

Thank you everyone for your input. This is a design I had digitized for me. I won’t be enlarging it. I’ve chosen to use 3 layers of cutaway. Tote is floated with a basting stitch. I’m stitching now.

1 comment

by zoefzoef 29 Dec 2018

Good luck, show us the result !

Wow, five layers of stabilizer sounds like a lot...I have done some very dense designs (from Embroidery Library...and we all know how dense they can be) on canvas with only one layer of stabilizer with no problems. I agree with Angie that sometimes more is not better...If it is a purchased design that you know to be very dense, I sometimes find it is better to purchase a design smaller than you need and increase the size in software that will reduce the density. I would even suggest you purchase a similar weigh canvas and test drive your design before actually stitching it on the tote. I find that thick fabrics like canvas really need to be hooped very well as to avoid any movement as the dense design stitches...I am not sure if you plan to actually hoop the tote or float it over the stabilizer. This could make a big difference in how you stabilize.

1 comment

by pennyhal2 29 Dec 2018

If you increase the size in software as a technique to reduce density, but sure to disable the automatic "adjust stitch density" function in the software. I have good results when I increase the size by 10% but don't allow the density to be increased t

if you can adjust the Size enlarge the the Design a little bit so it is less dense .I find it helps hugs

1 comment

by sandyqueen 23 Dec 2018

My software ads more stitches when you enlarge and removes stitches when you make smaller (Compensates without any input from me). So check your program.

SQ

I am not an expert on this, but I know that heavier fabric needs less stabilizer and in some instances none (like felt). If your last one turned out good I think I would do the same. 5 layers of stabilizer just seems a lot. Wait to see what others have to say.