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From: Military_Mom
Date: 04-24-2005, 06:43 PM (1 of 19)
I'm new to the wonderful world of embroidery machines! I'm loving my Bernina! I seem to be embroidering everything that doesn't move!  Here's my question: I've been using the tear away stabilizer(2 thicknesses) and there seems to be so much waste. I have to put enough on to catch both sides of my hoop (5x7) and there's only a 4x4 sewing area. I did try to cut it down so it fits side to side and cut some off the top and bottom, but...just wondering if there's another way to go about this. What about the fusable stabilizer? I haven't tried that and I'm wondering if anyone prefers that, and if so, is there a trick to using it? Do you/ Can you trim away the excess around the design or once it's ironed on, it's on.?? ANY help or tips would be really appreciated! Thanks so much! ~Becky |
User: Military_Mom
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 109 
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From: paroper
Date: 04-24-2005, 11:38 PM (2 of 19)
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In the case of hooping more is better. I have found that if I am doing a lot of embroidery I can plan my hooping so that I can use the left overs in a smaller hoop or in the same size hoop. If I would need to trim some off to make the stabilizer fit the hoop perfectly, I don't cut it off. I often move my design so that it is low in the hoop and toward the end of the stabilizer. Then when I have another project, I can sometimes use the stabilizer I have left plus some that was left over (outside the hoop) in another project. It isn't perfect, but it seems to help a lot of times. I also have the little cuff hoop that fits on a special extension. When the amount is very tiny, I save for that hoop which I use of wash rags and for monograms. I try to reuse as much as possible.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Military_Mom
Date: 04-25-2005, 06:53 PM (3 of 19)
Thanks for your reply, Pam. I guess I'll just have to play around a little to see how I can save on it. I'm still wondering about the fusable interfacing if anyone has any ideas about that.  Becky |
User: Military_Mom
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 109
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From: JustaNewbie
Date: 05-06-2005, 10:12 PM (4 of 19)
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Look for some upcoming Needlework Festivals in your area and attend some of them. You can buy stablizer a really good prices on huge rolls that will last you a long time. Marathon Threads is a good one and they attend alot of festivals as well you can go to their website and purchase from there and you do not need to be a business (I'm pretty sure anyone can purchase). Their site is www.marathonthreadscanada.com from their you can click on for U.S. prices or Canadian. |
User: JustaNewbie
Member since: 11-27-2003 Total posts: 13 
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From: Chrysantha
Date: 05-06-2005, 11:00 PM (5 of 19)
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I don't mean this the wrong way, but why are you doing 4X4 embroideries in a 5X7 hoop, if you don't need to ??? Thats why theres so much waste. Iron-on stabilizer is usually used on stretchy fabric (knits...) it keeps the fabric from shifting. Thats why sticky is also used. Iron-on can be used on anything. If you want less waste....use the correct hoop for the size of the project...use sticky ON the hoop and then float some cut away (regular or mesh) cut a smaller size, UNDERNEATH the hoop. Just make sure the stabilizer is UNDER the embroidery. Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: Military_Mom
Date: 05-08-2005, 05:47 PM (6 of 19)
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Chrys, I'm using the 5x7 hoop because it's the ONLY one I have and it's the hoop that came with the machine. I'm sure it's nice to have several sizes of hoops, but "poor" me, only has ONE. Thanks to everyone for the replies. ~Becky |
User: Military_Mom
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 109
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From: ninifav
Date: 05-09-2005, 11:58 PM (7 of 19)
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I have to second what Chrys said about "floating" a piece under your embroidery project...especially when you feel that you need more stabilizer... There is also a type of stabilizer that is called sticky back, I think...It is similar to contact paper and you can get several uses out of it....I have never used it; but maybe someone will come along with instructions.. By the way, I rarely hoop my fabric...I hoop the stabilizer, mark the center and sides with the template, spray with 505 or something similar, then center my project (which I have marked with the template also)...I prevent sticky hoops by wrapping the inner hoop with cling wrap or something similar...every once in a while, I take it off, clean the hoops and re-wrap (but not too often--I'm lazy) Purists say that they can tell the difference in hooped/not-hooped; but I have been very sucessful. Hope this helps.. |
User: ninifav
Member since: 09-06-2004 Total posts: 204 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-10-2005, 06:24 PM (8 of 19)
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I know that floating the stabilizer is one of "Nancy's" ideas but I really don't understand what it does for you. The purpose of the stabilizer is to keep your project from shifting. If the stabilizer is not stabilized or tied down, what does it do except add stiffness to your project? Using two pieces of stabilizer not only makes your product stiffer but also, if they are hooped cross grain, can help the project not to stretch the fabric or implode the stitching, making the project much more stable.
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-10-2005, 06:25 PM (9 of 19)
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Becky, which Bernina machine do you have? Can you buy a smaller hoop?
pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: GreenDragonLady
Date: 05-10-2005, 07:11 PM (10 of 19)
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The hoop she has probably is the 4x4 hoop, it just measures larger. My 4x4 hoop measures just about 5x7. You need room for the presser foot and to maneuver for trimming and such. Sometimes what I do (depending on how the stabilizer comes) I'll cut a long strip of stabilizer and hoop the first design near the end. Then when I'm done with one design, I trim the stabilizer close to the first design, and rehoop. That way I'm not losing the 2-3" between each design. photos.yahoo.com/greendragondesigns
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User: GreenDragonLady
Member since: 07-29-2004 Total posts: 495 
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From: mamadus
Date: 05-12-2005, 01:12 AM (11 of 19)
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Jess, you read my mind!! I agree.. probably her "5 x 7" hoop is actually her 4 x 4 hoop, she's just giving us the actual measurments as opposed to the stitch area... also, when you cut that long strip of stabilizer, I do one more step... i embroider my design. unhoop and cut or tear my stabilizer close to the design... then I hit the stabilizer with the iron for a few seconds... straightens it all out and I can rehoop it just as if it were a fresh piece of stabilizer... just my 2 cents... MO life is too short, not to explore
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User: mamadus
Member since: 12-31-2004 Total posts: 492 
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From: Military_Mom
Date: 05-19-2005, 02:50 PM (12 of 19)
| Thanks for the input! The size of my hoop is 5X7 but the actual sewing area is 4X4. That allows for movement and centering, etc. I have a Bernina Deco and I think I probably can buy smaller hoops...I just haven't checked into that yet. I have found that (since my last post) was that if I use tear away stabilizer and cut it so it fits across the hoop but not all the way up and down, I do save on waste. I know it doesn't cost that much but I just hate to waste any more than I need to. |
User: Military_Mom
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 109
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From: Saydee
Date: 05-21-2005, 06:44 AM (13 of 19)
| It is advisable to hoop at least one piece of stabilizer completely. It should be drum tight. If more is needed you can float it underneath and baste it altogether with a basting stitch to keep it firm. Also cut the floating stabilizer in the opposite directions so the grains are not going the same way. |
User: Saydee
Member since: 05-07-2004 Total posts: 68 
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From: plrlegal
Date: 05-21-2005, 09:14 PM (14 of 19)
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Actually girls the hoop for 4 x 4 designs is 5 x 8-1/2 and the hoop for 5 x 7 designs is 6-1/2 x 10 or at least that what the hoops for my Singer Futura measure. I've only had my embroidery machine since December but I have not really yet found an economical way to do embroidery. I knew that machine embroidery was a fairly expensive hobby when I decided to buy my machine, but so are quilting and garment sewing. Patsy Patsy
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User: plrlegal
Member since: 05-19-2001 Total posts: 318 |
From: paroper
Date: 05-21-2005, 11:40 PM (15 of 19)
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The purpose of the stabilizer is to keep your fabric from drawing as it is stitched whether you are doing machine OR hand embroidery. The denser the design, the more likely it is to draw up, puckering the area around the outside, and often causeing a misalignment of the outline stitches. In order for this to happen, the stabilizer MUST be hooped tightly. When I hoop my stabilizer I think about the way I was taught to make a military-style bed...that you could bounce a coin on the bed without leaving a mark. Whether you choose to hoop only your stabilizer and then pin or machine baste the fabic using 505 (or similar) or if you choose to hoop your fabrics (which truly better for stabilizing your fabric, is up to you). However, any stabilier which is NOT hooped does not stabilize your product. That only happens when your fabric is securely held in the hoop and only the stabilizer that is hooped can hold your fabric...not stabilizer which is floated above or below the hoop. It is absolutely true that if you hoop two sheets of stabilizer it is best to turn them so that they were torn from oposite directions. The reason is because if there are any weakness in the stabilizer, turning it allows the other sheet to compensate. All that being said, there are times when you should float a piece of stabilizer under the hoop. If you are doing a dense design and using a tear away (as Becky stated she ofen uses from the first post), sometimes the pressure of stitching multiple times over an area of stabilzer weakens the tear-away stabilizer. As that happens, floating a piece under the project can help strengthen the stabilizer that is still holding once the stabilizer starts to weaken..doing before the damage will not necessarily help. I sometimes do it if I take out a portion of my stitches or if I otherwise damage or weaken the stabilizer. The added thickness helps reinforce the stabilizer that is there. Stabilizer is (in my book) rather expensive and I certainly understand wanting to save as much as possible. I keep a laundry bag on the back of my sewing room door. All of my scraps of stabilizer go in that bag. When I am doing something smaller I pull out my scraps and try to find pieces that I can use. I lap and sew old pieces together when I am doing a test embroidery. However, the investment in the final products which are being embellished is much more than the small cost of the stabilizer that you'll be using. It is better to spend a small amount on the stabilizer than to ruin an expensive project from the outlines being off or because the fabric puckered when it wasn't properly stabilized. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Military_Mom
Date: 05-23-2005, 04:17 PM (16 of 19)
Pam, you shared a lot of great information. Thank you! As I mentioned in my first post, I'm a beginner at this and I do appreciate all the info. It makes sense to me to 'criss cross' the tear away and I'll do that on my next project.I do have another question...just to make sure I'm understanding, when you talk about 'floating' a piece of stabilizer, do you mean that it's NOT hooped? It's just laid under the hooped stabilizer and fabric? (as the term 'floating' implies). I'm more of a 'show me and I'll learn' kind of person, than trying to put instruction into play, if you know what I mean  Also, what are you thoughts about the fusable stabilizers? I haven't tried that yet, although I have some to try at some point. Any tips for that? Thanks in advance, Becky |
User: Military_Mom
Member since: 01-10-2005 Total posts: 109
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From: paroper
Date: 05-23-2005, 04:44 PM (17 of 19)
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Exactly. There are a lot of people who place a loose piece of stabilizer under their work. Although it can serve to patch a piece of stabilizer that is tied down should it become weak, it does nothing to hold your fabric in place as it is not anchored itself. That is called "floating" the stabilizer and it is used a lot, I understand by Nancy Z...however, I have never seen her use it so I don't understand her reasoning. Outside of having the potential to use up some scraps of stabilizer that you may have onhand, or reinforcing stabilizer that has been weakened, the only other thing it can do is add another depth of thickness to your stabilizer. I certainly wouldn't waste a good piece to do it. As for the fusible stabilizers I understand that they are excellent. One of the ladies at my Bernina shop has very bad asthma and cannot use the adhesives for anything. She uses the fusible stabilizer very well and her work is wonderful. I have some, I just haven't gotten into the habit of using it yet. pam
Bernina 200e, Artista V5 Designer Plus, Explorations, Magic Box, Bernina 2000DE & 335 Bernette Serger, Bernina 1530 Sewing Machine, Bernina 1300 DC Overlock (with coverstitch) |
User: paroper
Member since: 02-03-2004 Total posts: 3775 |
From: Zabelle
Date: 05-24-2005, 01:44 AM (18 of 19)
I use the fusible stabilizer because it ends up much cheaper than using interfacing + adhesive (in France at least - spray adhesive is very expensive here!). It is great. 
English sewing journal: Kitty Couture
In French: Journal d'une cousette |
User: Zabelle
Member since: 02-25-2004 Total posts: 98 
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From: mamadus
Date: 05-25-2005, 03:48 AM (19 of 19)
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I agree, the fusible stabilizer is great... it's actually my preference... after that comes hoopless with spray adhesive.... just my 2 cents... MO life is too short, not to explore
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User: mamadus
Member since: 12-31-2004 Total posts: 492
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