I was given a pack to try and had a little problem with it. The paper and my printer didn't 'like' each other very much! As the printer printed out a copy, it would release one than one sheet at a time. Eventually, I just loaded each sheet one at a time, luckily I only needed eight patterns so it wasn't too bad and each sheet printed out fine. Was wondering if others have had problems with their printers when they used anything but stock copier paper?Had been printing out the patterns on 20lb copy paper, its the cheapest paper I could find and thought it would tear easily but it doesn't. I've read some posts about vellum but wasn't sure how easy it would be to remove and the other is blank newsprint paper. Thought the newsprint paper might be the same weight as the WashAway and probably have the same printing problem.Would appreciate hearing from others.
Anyone ever use WashAway Foundation Paper for PP; Welcome to the Quilting Board! Already a member? I have used the wash away but be careful when you rinse to remove the paper. The residue will clog up your drain. I soak and rinse in a bucket and toss it outside in the ditch.:). What is the best kind of paper piecing wash away foundation paper. I would like to print it on my computer printer, paper piece, then wash away without tearing away any paper on the back.
Thanks, everyone for the comments. I'm using 1.5 stitch length but the pieces are small, some an 1' square. On the longer stitched strips, the paper comes off fairly easily but those small pieces especially those stitched on four sides are the hardest.I'm going to go to some of the dollar stores tomorrow to see if I can find the newsprint-like paper. Using the WashAway would be too expensive for the project I'm working, and its just a wall-hanging! There was only eight sheets in the package so I thought I'd give it try.
A good stabilizer prolongs the life of machine embroidery, helps keep the stitches intact, and keeps your sewing machine running smoothly. Stabilizers play a key roll in producing professional looking embroidery designs, but how do you choose the right stabilizer for each project?Take the mystery out of stabilizer package labeling and end-uses for the general groups of stabilizers. Extensive charts correlating fabric type to stabilizer types are in my book,. Read more details expanding on today’s blog post in the book.As we go forward, I’ll be talking about stabilizers used in machine embroidery.
Stabilizers and interfacings for garment sewing will be another blog post for another day.Machine embroidery stabilizers can be broken down into three categories:. Translucent textured nonwoven (lightweight)—Semitransparent stabilizer resists stretching, eliminates show-through, and is comfortable next to skin. (lightweight)—This stabilizer is applied with a low temperature iron, and it ensures fabric will not shift while embroidering. Nonwoven (medium weight)—This category of stabilizer provides optimum support and eliminates pulling or sagging of designs. It can hold adhesive spray or fusible web for hoopless embroidery. Iron-On Nonwoven (medium weight)—Applied with a low temperature iron, this stabilizer ensures fabric will not shift during stitching and eliminates the need for additional adhesive products.
This stabilizer is somewhat soft and flexible. Water-activated adhesive nonwoven (mid-heavyweight)—Hoop the stabilizer, moisten with a damp sponge, and apply the fabric to the stabilizer. It will not leave gummy residue on your project.
(heavyweight)—This stabilizer resists washing damage and shrinkage and provides optimum support for heavy duty projects. Iron-on textured crisp nonwoven (heavyweight)—This heavyweight permanent stabilizer has a soft hand and excellent stability. It has a permanent fusible coating and is ideal for projects that need extra stiffness and retained support.Stabilizer Tips. 100% cotton nonwoven (light-midweight)—100% cotton nonwoven is soft and gentle to the touch, yet strong and firm for hooping and stitching. This stabilizer is extremely comfortable against the skin. Nonwoven (midweight)—Nonwoven is an excellent all-purpose stabilizer; soft to the touch, strong enough for hooping and stitching. It is a good stabilizer to choose when using the float technique.
Iron-on nonwoven (midweight)—This product eliminates the need for additional fusibles or adhesives and holds projects taut and straight while stitching. Tear-away disintegrating nonwoven (midweight)—This stabilizer disintegrates in the wash.
Simply tear off the excess, and any additional bits that were not removed will be eliminated over time in the laundry. Colored vinyl (midweight)—Use this unique stabilizer to prevent the base fabric color from showing through the embroidery stitching. It prevents embroidery from sinking into high nap fabrics and gives a 3D lift. (midweight)—Eliminate hooping your fabric when you use this eco-friendly adhesive stabilizer with release paper. Nonwoven (heavyweight)—This very heavy stabilizer is surprisingly soft, pliable and easy to tear away. Be mindful to not pull the stitches when tearing this product from behind your design. Water-activated adhesive nonwoven (heavyweight)—Only hoop this dense stabilizer as it removes the need to hoop the fabric.
After moistening the stabilizer with a sponge, the fabric will stick!Stabilizers. Soak the fabric in water. This is best for heavyweight wash-away stabilizers. Mist the stabilizer using a spray bottle.
Video On Paper Piecing
Misting is best for lightweight wash-away stabilizers. Massage stabilizer under warm running tap water. Adhesive wash-aways may require this treatment.Stabilizer Weights. Water-soluble web (very lightweight)—Use this stabilizer to prevent stitches from sinking into pile fabrics and prevent loops from pulling on knitted or napped fabrics. Transparent film (very lightweight)—This eco-friendly stabilizer leaves no residue after washing and can be removed by misting with water or blotting with a damp sponge. Water-soluble fabric (lightweight)—Water-soluble fabric looks like a sheer fabric but it will actually wash completely away.
It is easy to hoop and is very stable. (lightweight)—This film is twice as heavy as the very lightweight transparent film and will require more water for removal.
Water-soluble nonwoven (midweight)—This stabilizer is soft and flexible. It is easy to cut, handle, and hoop. It looks and feels like mesh cut- away but completely washes out. (midweight)—This soft and stable adhesive provides extreme stability when stitching.
The release liner protects the adhesive, and once you are finished with the embroidery design it all washes away, even the adhesive. Transparent film (mid-heavyweight)—An extra firm plastic-like film such as this provides great stability and doesn’t stretch. Embroider directly on it to create lace and other free-standing projects. Water-soluble paper (mid-heavyweight)—Paper with an attitude. It is traditionally used for foundation piecing by transferring designs via copy machines/printers. It does not hoop well but is an excellent choice to top small embroidered letters. (heavyweight)—Adhesive transparent film bonds to fabric without heat or spray adhesives and leaves no residue.StabilizersHeat-Away Stabilizers are best used for fabrics that cannot be washed, such as velvet, satin, and some corduroy.
Special techniques like making lace will use heat-away stabilizer as the designs are too delicate for other support options. (light-midweight)—Heat-Away stabilizers are removed when exposed to the heat of an iron.Organizing. If you are new to machine embroidery and stabilizers, get started with my book, and watch the following episode of Sewing With Nancy: Watch ( and ) on online.To watch on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone,.Bye for now,Content in this feed is © copyright 2016 by Nancy Zieman and may not be republished without written permission.
You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website. Make sure you are subscribed to my enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Join us on, plus a host of other social media channels. For storage of my stabilizers I use on of those multi-pants hangers. I can add rolls easily by swinging the hanger bar out. I have a nail on the side of my shelves to hold the unit up. I only store the stabilizers that don’t need to be kept sealed. I tied a pair of inexpensive scissors on a piece of yarn and attach it to the pants hanger.
That way I use only these scissors to cut my stabilizer. I find I can take my hoop over to the pants hanger, eyeball how much I need and use the scissors right there to cut a piece! I also have a much wider, large roll of tear away which I placed on a large dowel.
I use this most often on my biggest hoop and I can cut a piece off the width of the hoop and the length fits the width of the roll. I tied twine around one end of the dowel, ran it up over the open rafter in my work area and back down to tie it over the other end of the dowel. This hangs perfectly just above the pants hangers and turns the side of that cabinet into a very nice stabilizer station!