There’s been quite a bit of chatter this week on one of my groups for machine embroidery about the proper fabric to use for embroidery. While I have used and agree with some of the suggestions, I have learned a lot about fabrics from making quilts home décor items and fashion. While all fabrics can be proper for something, not all are good for everything!
Since fabric for making quilts is all-around good, sturdy cotton broadcloth, let’s start there. We will assume that all of these cottons are good quality! From basic muslin to the priciest designer prints, we choose these fabric for our quilts for several reasons; they are inexpensive; they have a good weave and even hand; they last forever; and, they are easy to work with, having few issues with raveling, stretching, etc.
However, the relative affordability of quilting cotton is still too much for some, and they choose polyester or poly-cotton blend fabrics for making quilts. Since this is the worst choice for quilts for many reasons, this is one area where I say never! Polyester fabrics are too thin, too stretchy, and melt/warp when ironed under the high heat required for proper patchwork piecing. It is not sturdy, can be difficult to work with, and it is made from a dwindling, expensive resource … petroleum.
While some quilters are quite brilliant in making quilts from satins, silks, woolens, velvets and other heavy fabrics, most of us choose plain reliable cotton. There’s really nothing to argue about when quality meets every expectation at a reasonable price.
In the world of machine embroidery, though, we aren’t just making quilts. We create fantastic heirloom christening robes and wedding dresses; sturdy totes and fancy purses; fun toys and soft books; and anything else we can fit into or onto our hoops.
For each project, we choose the fabric we want to work with. We wouldn’t make a tote from sheer organza any more than we would make a wedding dress from burlap! Instead, we match the project desired to the fabric required. Hopefully, the embroidery designs we want to use are appropriate for the type of fabric! Ah, I bet you forgot that part, didn’t you? It’s okay. We all do it. Once we figure this out, we must decide how to stabilize the fabric and design for optimum stitching. It goes far beyond just the best fabric!
Embroidery designs that are light and airy can be stitched on just about any fabric, although care must be taken with thick items like bath towels or the designs won’t show up. They will stitch beautifully and then become invisible. No fun! A layer of tulle on top of the towel loops can keep this from occurring!
Dense embroidery designs should not be stitched on anything other than very sturdy fabrics! Denim and twill are good choices for totes, purses and anything else that you’d normally make for strength! Did you notice that I did not say that dense designs could not be stitched on anything but denim or twill? Yes, they can …
If you have dense designs that you want to embroider on a less sturdy fabric (linen or cotton), you can choose a heavier stabilizer to make the fabric more able to withstand what is demanded from the embroidery designs. This does not, however, mean that you can stitch a very dense design on sheer fabric by using more stabilizer. Eventually, the stabilizer must be removed, and thin fabric may not support the design.
See? It’s still not just about the best fabric! Fabric + stabilizer + design = perfect machine embroidery designs. Always!
No one person has all the answers because each design, fabric, stabilizer, and machine we use are completely different. It is necessary to do research and try various methods until we find those that work for us. Because I spend so much time making quilts, I start with muslin and go on from there.
For me, the best fabric is not the cheapest I can find. It is the one that will work for the project type, along with my choice of embroidery designs and the stabilizers that I have.
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