Stabilizer & Fabric Matching Guide
This stabilizer and fabric matching guide will help you make the right stabilizer choice based on the weight, quality, and type of fabric that you are using.

When fabric is produced, manufacturers don't anticipate that anything will be added to it. When we're adding the weight and tension of thread and stitches to fabric, that fabric needs to be made stronger and more "stable" with stabilizer. If the fabric isn't stabilized appropriately, you can experience many headaches, such as poor registration, design segments not lining up, density problems, puckering, gapping, and more.

There are a few rules that can be summarized here: The heavier the fabric you have, the lighter the stabilizer you need. The weaker/lighter the fabric you have, the heavier stabilizer the you need. One layer of stabilizer is appropriate for 99.9% of projects, and two pieces of tear-away stabilizer is not a good choice when the fabric is best served by one piece of cutaway.

If you are sewing on a flimsy fabric with a stabilizer that is too weak, you'll see gapping, poor registration, puckering, and other embroidery "nightmares." Conversely, if you are sewing on a heavy fabric with heavy stabilizer, the result will be bulky, and you're making the machine and needle work harder than what it needs to.

Avoid embroidery headaches -- choose the right stabilizer every time with this guide!
Type Fabric Quality Stabilizer Choice
Cotton
Canvas Durable, heavy, coarse Tear-away; if heavy canvas, no stabilizer necessary
If cap, and cap has buckram, then no stabilizer necessary
Corduroy Heavy, textured, ribbed, tight weave Tear-away if heavy; cut-away if lightweight; heat-dissipating to avoid wetting fabric
Denim Heavy, strong, smooth, tight weave tear-away; if heavy denim no stabilizer necessary
Drill Strong, tightly woven, used in suits, pants, gloves Tear-away
Duck Heavy, tightly woven. Used in awnings, tents, clothing, tote bags Tear-away if thicker, cut-away if thinner, no backing necessary if very thick
Flannel Woven, nap on one or both sides Cut-away
Gauze Sheer, loosely woven, stretchy Cut-away, with spray adhesive
Gingham Light-weight, woven knit Cut-away
Muslin Woven, coarse Cut-away with adhesive, or sticky back
Organdy Thin, slippery Cut-away with adhesive
Percale Closely woven, light weight Cut-away
Pique (golf shirt) Stretchy, woven, porous knit Cut-away, topping optional
Poplin Woven, twill Cut-away, possibly tear-away depending on weight
Sateen Cotton fabric with a satin weave Cut-away
Seersucker Lightweight cotton, textured, bumpy Cut-away with adhesive
Sweater (light-weight) Smooth, stretchy Cut-away with adhesive
Sweater (heavy-weight) Thick, stretchy Cut-away with adhesive
Sweatshirt Smooth, stretchy Cut-away
T-shirt Cut-away or tear-away depending on quality
Terrycloth Looped fabric, high pile Cutaway or tear-away, topping
Velveteen Cotton fabric with velvet-like pile Sticky-back Cutaway
Wool (Alpaca, Mohair, Angora, Camel, Cashmere, Vicuna)
Broadcloth Loose weave, sturdy cut-away
Felt Lightweight, entangled not woven cut-away
Flannel Soft, lightweight, nap on one or both sides cut-away
Gabardine Tightly woven twill, smooth cut-away
Herringbone Tightly woven twill, textured cut-away
Jersey Knit, lightweight cut-away
Merino Soft, fine, smooth cut-away
Oatmeal Durable, textured, lightweight, soft cut-away
Sharkskin Woven, shiny, smooth cut-away
Tweed Woven, textured, rough and flexible cut-away
Silk (strongest natural fiber, oldest textile, fibers harvested from cocoon of silkworm)
Brocade Woven, usually with manufactured/man-made fibers tear-away
Chiffon Transparent, lightweight, thin tear-away
Dupioni Lightweight, uneven threads result in “raw” appearance tear-away
Organza Sheer, lightweight, thin tear-away, light spray adhesive if necessary
Broadcloth Lightweight, sturdy, crisp cut-away
Linen “Raw” appearance cut-away with spray adhesive or sticky-back
Satin Satin weave on one side cut-away with spray adhesive or sticky-back
Linen (from flax, strong, 2-3 times the strength of cotton, sturdy, smooth, lint-free)
Butcher’s Linen Sturdy, heavy, used for sturdy clothing (aprons) and can be used as interfacing cut-away
Damask Patterned weave cut-away
Venise Thin damask, patterned cut-away
Manufactured/Man-Made
Acetate Lightweight, resilient cut-away
Acrylic Lightweight, thin cut-away
Polar Fleece Lightweight, breathable polyester cut-away
Nylon Strong, elastic, smooth cut-away, with spray adhesive or sticky-back
Polyester Strong, stretchy cut-away, with spray adhesive or sticky-back
Rayon Strong, soft, silky, lightweight tear-away
Spandex Elastic, stretchy, used in exercise clothing, hosiery cut-away, with spray adhesive or sticky-back
Other
Leather Durable, smooth, strong cut-away for thinner, like lambskin; tearaway for thicker, like cowhide
Suede Smooth, durable, low nap, possible texture, possible stretch cut-away for thinner; tear-away for thicker,
Velvet Smooth, nap of varying heights, possible stretch Sticky-back, heat-dissipating to avoid wetting fabric, topping

Thank you, that was quick. I saved it way back, but there so many questions about stabilizer I am glad all the newcomers can see it too. And the new lay out is a great improvement. Hugs and flowers.

Thanks jrob

This is GREAT ;)

Thanks jrob, this will come in handy

Thanks jrob - I have saved this now. *4U

Thanks Jdri. That's a great chart! *4U

Thank jrob.

most welcome!;)

thanks jrob. That will come in handy *4U

We need to keep this ready to answerer at a moments notice

Thanks jrob for sharing this really useful information.

thank you jrob so much*4u

jrob, you deserve a whole bouquet for sharing this!
I just printed it out and will put it into a sheet protector for a quick & easy guide. Thanks so much!!

Have been reading tips,bringing this back to the top ,very helpful.**********

How did I miss this a year ago??? It sure has come in handy since I read it today!!! THANX for sharing these IMPORTANT facts:)

Merci; *4u!
Jacqueline

thanks, this can be soo confusing

A huge "Thank You" from one of the new girls! This is so useful I've printed it off stored the sheets in plastic wallets in the front of my designs folder. So no more excuses from me as to why my design didn't work!

ttt again

Jrob, that is alot of info. Thank you. H&*.

Many many thanks for this great guide. It's now copied and pasted into same file as my designs. I'll know where it is then and can refer to it often.

I missed this a year ago, don't know how that is possible, but I copied it into a word document and printed it out to save it next to my machine. Thanks a lot Jerrilyn, very handy

Though this was put up ages and ages ago THANKS, I will print this very useful info out and save it in a handy place by my machine

Thanks for this chart - I have copied and printed it and will consult it each time I do a project - Thanks for taking the time to enlighten some of us new embroiderers!

ttt

Thank you for this reference guide!

thank you!

How can I go about to save your chart? Thank your for the info.

Thank you so much , this is very useful information.
Lynn

ttt

thank you very much!

Thank you. Arlene