Best sewing stabilizers according to redditors

Not sure if this is what OP used, but I've used this one a lot for machine embroidery to make free standing lace, I imagine it would work just fine for hand embroidery too: https://www.amazon.com/OESD-Aquamesh-Wash-Away-Stabilizer-White/dp/B01H05MI2A

Hiyah, here's the one I bought.

H2O "Eau" Gone White FSL 12" x 25... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01LWWXA2L?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I've actually made starter kit recommendations for folks before. For years I used a Brother SE 400 which is available new on amazon for less than $300:
https://www.amazon.com/Brother-SE400-Combination-Computerized-Embroidery/dp/B003AVMZA4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487700696&sr=8-1&keywords=brother+se400

it will even dip below that once in a while - i've seen it for as low as $279 before!

The drawbacks to this machine are:

you cannot go back and fix a thing if something goes wrong. do not put anything you love in this machine. (i've had my viking eat things too, so maybe that's a good rule for all home/hobby embroidery machines...)

The size limit is 4x4, it cannot take any larger hoops


DST is not an issue because there are many free programs that will convert them. I like wilcom truesizer: https://www.wilcom.com/en-us/products/truesizerproducts.aspx

The brother takes PES files.

For threads at home, Amazon also has big thread packs that cost less than a dollar per spool:

40 spools: https://www.amazon.com/Polyester-Embroidery-Beautiful-Babylock-Husqvarna/dp/B0035DBUPS/ref=sr_1_5?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1487700876&sr=1-5&keywords=embroidery+thread

63 spools: https://www.amazon.com/Brother-Colors-Embroidery-Machine-Thread/dp/B005GYJZMY/ref=sr_1_8?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1487700876&sr=1-8&keywords=embroidery+thread

260 spools: https://www.amazon.com/Embroidex-Polyester-Spools-Embroidery-Machine/dp/B003ZSD5EC/ref=sr_1_19?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1487700876&sr=1-19&keywords=embroidery+thread (i have this one, it's the best deal and you get so many colors!)


I also buy these pre-wound bobbins for it because embroidery sure eats these up: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004JJSX1Q/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And finally, i like the pre-cut cutaway stabilizer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005NX5OQ4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Hope that helps! It's a nice little machine and doubles as a regular sewing machine with a few fun stitches.

I've found a lot of the embroidery-specific online retailers (ColDesi, for example) are specifically geared towards the professional embroiderer.

For home embroidery, you just can't beat Amazon deals... especially if you have that nice Prime perk of free shipping.

I recommend starting with a thread sampler, a roll each of cut away and tear away stabilizer, a pack or two of embroidery needles, and some solvy if you plan on stitching on towels, fleece, or other napped fabrics.

I used a sticky solvy on top of the felt and then used a peel and stick on the back.

Solvy - Sulky Of America Fabri-Solvy Washaway Stabilizer, 8" by 9 yd, White (407-08) https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0018N9KW2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0d-jDbPSZMGEZ

Peel and stick - iCraft PeelnStick Fabric Fuse Sheets, 4.25 Inches x 5 Inches, 4-1/4"X5 5/Pkg https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B001A36I2A/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ge-jDb8DMSC91

Hope that helps!

I have an embroidery machine! With a price point of $2000 I would recommend the Viking Designer Jade 35 It has an MSRP of $1,799. Go into your local Viking store and see what kind of offers are going on. You just missed a 25% off sale that happened in November, and October had a 50% off trade-in machines so you could have gotten a very good deal on something pre-owned then too. I don't know what the December sales will be since I haven't gotten their email yet but that should give you a place to start negotiating- and you should negotiate. Viking stores operate on commission so no one wants to lose a sale if they can possibly help it. They really want to be moving these larger priced machines, especially at the holidays. Be clear in what you want and don't hesitate to press for having to get a manager's approval on a lower price. You should never be paying full price.

Software! If you have an embroidery machine, you need software for it. Embroidery software can be heinously expensive and very complicated. The Jade apparently comes with an 'Intro' version of their software for free but Viking stores will offer you their proprietary software for around $2000+. If your mother is moderately competent at learning how to navigate software on her own and wants to customize her designs at all then I would really recommend getting Embird It's a third party software and you can purchase it in individual modules to customize what she wants to do. I personally recommend the $164 basic program and Iconizer $20 to start with.

The basic program will let her resize (though you don't really want to resize a design more or less than 10% of it's original size or things go wonky), edit designs, split out pieces, convert from one file type to another, etc. Iconizer will let her open a folder with all of her embroidery designs and see what the designs look like without opening them up- it's a great QoL upgrade. My guess is that after that, she'd probably like the Font Engine upgrade. It is, however, another $145 and can take any computer font and digitize it for embroidery... more or less. Unless she really likes working on the computer and tweeking things in software, or needs to embroidery a lot of words onto things, I don't actually recommend the Font Engine for starting embroiderers. You can buy fonts for <$20 that are designed and tested to work.

In total... I bet you could get the machine negotiated down to $1500 or $1600 and maybe get them to throw in the small 120x120mm for free. + $180 for software and you're coming in under your $2000 budget. If you're feeling extra affectionate towards your mother, throw in some bulk stabilizer and Embroidery thread! (I do like that Mettler polysheen brand, I've always gotten great results from it with minimal thread breakage.) and you're probably still pretty close to or under budget depending on taxes.

I love convenience and so I order mine pre-cut from Amazon. Comes out to $0.10 per sheet :)

I use tear away on the bottom in addition to the wash away on the top of the fabric which i also get pre-cut from Amazon.


Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/Fusible-No-show-Polymesh-Embroidery-Stabilizer/dp/B003XD9962/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1542557772&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=fusible+no+show+stabilizer&dpPl=1&dpID=510R43we6TL&ref=plSrch


Just go to local sewing store and ask for “fusible no show stabilizer” or “iron on poly mesh”

You could try doing a water soluble backing and then embroider or try hitting it with a sewing machine and then washing away the backing once you have your patch stitched in. That's how you can make lace like this at home but not sure if the results are ever going to match at all.

I would think if you went in by hand the tension would never be quite right and you'd have puckering or pulling with it.