Exploring Water Soluble Stabiliser
Today we’re going to be looking at the growingly popular among embroiders, Water Soluble Stabiliser. We sell stabiliser in our shop, but many people don’t know much about this useful, revolutionary product, so we’re here to educate and help you out! Stick around to learn more about what water soluble stabiliser is, its uses, tips and even some festive fun at the end! Let’s get into it:
What is water soluble stabiliser?
Water soluble stabiliser (also known as WSS), is a modern, useful embroidery invention, and is used as embroidery backings (and even toppings!). Made from water soluble fibres, WSS completely dissolves and disappears or ‘melts’ when submerged in water. There are different kinds of WSS, including a mesh like film version, a plastic film version, and even paper like versions - they all do the same job! WSS is ideal for more complex embroidery projects, as it can be delicate, but it guarantees to add strength and prevents puckering and stretching. Soluble stabilizer also helps keep the stitches from disappearing in high-pile fabrics, and is ideal for lace work, since it provides a firm, stable surface to stitch on.
Hand, Free-Motion Machine or Machine Programmed?
WSS can be used for all of the above; for free-motion machine and hand embroidery, you can draw directly onto the stabiliser to mark where you need to stitch to mark out your own design. Once you have done your final stitching, simply soak the finish product in water, with the stabiliser on and watch it dissolve, leaving no waste or residue.
How to use WSS:
Simply treat water soluble stabiliser like a normal fabric while sewing & embroidering, (layer against the fabric you wish to stabilise). When you are ready to dissolve the stabilizer, it's usually best to cut away as much as you can first to minimize any mess, and you should also ensure that all the backing dissolves and the residue is rinsed off your stitches before it dries again. You may want to use WSS as a topping if If your fabric has any sort of fluff, pile, nap, or squishiness, because WSS supports stitches and keeps them from sinking into the fabric. Usually, when water soluble stabilisers are exposed to air, after a period of time they become firm and crisp, leaving them particularly fragile and difficult to use. At Solutions 4 Plastic, our stabiliser comes on a roll in clear tubing to prevent this, however, if you have spare off cuts we would recommend storing them in an airtight box or zip lock bag for the best results. TIP: The WSS obviously dissolves when exposed to moisture, so ensure your hands are dry when handling.
Christmas patterns for embroidery:
To add a little extra festive fun to this blog, here are some of our favourite Christmas embroidery pattern ideas for you to take inspiration from! Tis’ the season after all! Click the links to explore these wintery joys:
Check our our sizing and prices of our water soluble stabiliser; ‘SoluStitch’ click here, if you can’t see your size preference or require larger quantities please get in contact today.
We hope you learnt more about water soluble stabiliser in this crafty themed blog! Be sure to check out our other blogs where we discuss everything from Eco Friendly Christmas Gifts 2022, to staying healthy this winter. Thank you for reading.
-Solutions 4 Plastic Team