WSS is short for Water Soluble Stabiliser. As the name suggests, it washes out in water !

There is just a touch more to it than just being stabilizer that washes out in water. There are three main types: fabric-type, heavy-weight plastic-type and topper. ***** The fabric-type is white and looks like non-woven fabric (or interfacing). Some brands include viline and H2O-gone. These are used for making FSL (free-standing lace) and things like coasters where you want the satin-stitched edge to look very neat with no little threads sticking out and without risking clipping the satin stiching when you trim the fabric away (you trim the fabric prior to stitching the satin stitch, but leave the stabilizer intact, and then wash away the stabilizer when complete). ****** The second, the heavy-weight plastic-type, looks very much like heavy plastic ground tarp/painter's tarp. It is clear/translucent. Badgemaster is one brand of this type. This can be used in the same ways as the fabric-type. It is mostly a personal preference. Some people fear that the "plastic" will tear, and it could if the design is too dense (you could just use two layers, in that case). ****** The third type is sometimes called topper because it is typically used on top of your fabric to prevent the design from "sinking" into the nap of the fabric, like when you are stitching on towels, sweatshirts, or polar fleece. It looks like plastic wrap (very thin, like you'd use to cover food). Sulky's Solvy is an example of a brand of this type of stabilizer.

Ruthie, I'm sorry that we didn't at least once give the name instead of just initials. I will try to remember to do that next time. Thank you for bringing that to our attention! ;)

Reading the post about WSS on top of towels reminded me of this--just FYI (for your information, lol), my dealer has just started carrying Floriani products, and at a seminar the demonstrator gave us a hint about the topping to use for towels and heavy nap stuff. She suggested (and had examples) to use Heat N Gone by Floriani as a towel topper instead of a WSS. You can put your iron on the edges and it goes away (without gumming up the iron, it's magic!) but the part under the stitches stays intact even after washing, keeping those stitches down in place permanently, without the WSS washing out and the terry poking through. Seemed like a neat idea, her samples looked great. I have never done a towel yet, so no personal experience, but I'm getting to towels. What king of stabilizer would you use to back a towel, anyway, tearaway? I'd love to do the Christmas & Firebird fonts on towels, but not sure how to stabilize. Thanks, Marji

Sorry, Ruthie, I just hate when folks do short abreviations and I don't know what they are talking about. I appologize for doing that in my question. WSS is water soluble stabilizer. Merry Christmas!

There are 2 types of WSS...water soluble stabilizer...one is a topping that looks and feels kind of like plastic wrap for using on towel, fleece, t-shirts or anything with a nap to keep the stitches from sinking into the fabric and not being seen as well. The other kind feels kind of like fabric and is used on the back of your design and is used for free standing lace. The 2 brands I have used are H2O Gone and Vilene. Hope this helps.

WSS - is Water Soluble Stabilizer - stabilizer that washes away - after you have stitched your item.

I have to say that everyone who answered has been soooo helpful and I really have been given heaps of info to mull over. I'm amazed by the number of people who took the time to answer, some of them in great detail. It's so good to know that there are people out there who are willing to share their knowledge. I just hope that the day will come when I know enough to repay your generosity. Wishing you all a very Merry and safe Christmas.

Water Soluble Stabilizer. It washes away with water

I'm guessing that 'wss' means Water Soluble Stabilizer.

WSS is water soluble stabilizer and is used for making free standing lace (fsl); embroidery on any fabric with a nap and especially on towels. If the towel is very thick a double layer may be necessary. Depending on the design some people use bridal netting in place of the wss as it generally tears away quite easily. However if there are small open areas this is not a good idea. There are other stabilizers that are dissolvable with the application of heat (hair dryer). Check out Discount Embroidery. :-) mumra

it is a water soluable that you use for free standing lace to get a ideal of what you can do with it go to www.emblibrary.com click on lace.I have really gotten hooked on some of these projects I made the sleigh with santa and the reindeers for my office to display and ended up taking orders for 9 sets also done the nativity scene all done with wss very easy to do.

You should use it as well for towels and such to keep the design from going down into the nap.

Iam assumming that "wss" means, Water soluable Stabilizer, ideal for lace work etc
Katiemj