My daughter wants me to embroider on a dress she bought for her daughter. It is polyester, can you suggest what type of stabilizer would be best? Thank you

I would use a no-show mesh type stabilizer that is a cut-away type...There are several manufacturers...Nancy's Notions carries one...Floriani is another good one...Google No-Show Mesh Stabilizers and you will find several available...If the embroidery is on the bodice, I would then cover it with an iron-on soft and sheer knit stabilizer (some call it Cloud cover)...also used to cover embroidery on baby clothes to prevent the embroidery from scratching the baby skin...Pellon makes one too..I get mine at JoAnn's

2 comments

by dragonflyer 07 May 2016

I forgot to add...I would try out the no-show mesh and knit fusible on a fabric similar to the dress if you have not used these before...I have had great success using both many times...

by RockyB 08 May 2016

Thank you Kim, heading to Joann's today! I have an iron on no show knit stabilizer but will look for the cut a way. I appreciate the links also so I can see the product.

I agree with sewmom, very sound advice

I would hoop a medium weight cut away. Hoop the dress with it if you think you can, if not, float the dress on top of the cut away and keep it there with a basting spray and a basting stitched frame or lots of pins! Although it's not completely necessary I also put wss (water soluble stabilizer) on top to help the stitching stay neat.
A lot of people put a soft iron on stabilizer on the back when they are all done with stitching so the stitches aren't scratchy.

4 comments

by sewmom 07 May 2016

They amount of stabilizer also depends on your design. A general rule is: another layer of stabilizer for every 10,000 stitches.

by RockyB 07 May 2016

Thank you for your advice! What about the cut-away showing through the dress since it's so thin? It has that cotton backing, do you think it will help camouflage it?

by sewmom 07 May 2016

It will probably show so the only advice I have for that is to cut it neatly and evenly around the design with curved edges (no sharp corners).

by sewmom 07 May 2016

There are iron ons that might have better color matches but I've never had good luck with those. Maybe someone else will have better advice.
I also just had an idea: do an iron on stabilizer first if you find a color that is better. Then the cut away might not show through as much.

Can you put a picture of the dress up? Is it knit? Slippery? Thick? Thin? Polyester can be a lot of different types of fabric.