Best Backing for Embroidery
There are few things in this world worse than spending time and effort on a beautiful hand-embroidered design, just to have it fall apart in the wash or while in use. So how do you prevent embroidery on clothing from coming undone when you wear it or feeling scratchy against your skin? The answer is to find the best backing for embroidery. Take a look at just about any wearable embroidery – hats, polo shirts, tote bags – and you’ll notice a small piece of material on the inside, just behind the embroidered design. Not to be confused with interfacing that you iron on before you stitch, a backing is ironed on the back of your design after you are finished.
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Best Backing for Embroidery
For this post, I wanted to test out several types to see what is the best backing for embroidery. Among the candidates were Sulky Tender Touch Stabilizer, Cloud Cover Stitch, Pellon SF 101 Shape-Flex, and Pellon 931TD Fusible Midweight. The first two are embroidery backings that I found after doing some online research, the second two (Pellon) were a result of going to the fabric store and feeling the different iron on interfacing. For each of these reviews, I tested how easily the backings ironed on over an embroidered line, and how they endured two wash and dry cycles. Let’s see how they fared!
Sulky Tender Touch Stabilizer
Sulky Tender Touch is considered a permanent lightweight backing and can be used as a “cover-a-stitch” or stabilizer.
For Sulky Tender Touch, all you need to do is cut a piece slightly larger than your embroidery, then iron it onto the “wrong” side of your fabric using the steam setting.
Results: I loved how easily the Sulky Tender Touch ironed on: the fusible web side took almost no time at all to adhere to my fabric, and it stayed so soft, not stiff. After washing the fabric, I was happy to see that the backing stayed put and didn’t roll up or wrinkle after drying. This would be great for thin fabric that you don’t want to change the density of.
Cloud Cover Stitch Stabilizer
Cloud Cover is super soft and sheer and is used to protect sensitive skin from any scratchy embroidery stitches on clothing – think baby clothing. It’s an iron-on backing used to cover the stitches after the design has been stitched.
To apply the Cloud Cover, turn the fabric inside out so that you see the back of the stitches. Lay the Cloud Cover scratchy side down on the fabric. Next, set the iron to a setting without steam and press it onto the Cloud Cover and fabric in 10-second intervals, making sure to get every bit.
Results: While the Cloud Cover ironed on beautifully and is very soft to the touch, it does not have lasting power. After only one wash and dry, the backing peeled right off. Unfortunately, I did not get a photo of the peeling, but I don’t recommend this for things that will be washed. Maybe it could work on a hat or something?
Pellon SF 101
Pellon SF 101, or Pellon Shape-Flex, is permanent, all-purpose woven fusible interfacing for light-to-medium woven or knit fabrics. The “crisp” stability of this embroidery backing is really something. It doesn’t distort the shape of the fabric, though, so is great for supporting embroidery on cuffs, collars, pockets, and other super fine detail areas.
Results: I like that the Pellon SF 101 feels the most like fabric. It’s what I use on this DIY denim jacket with embroidery because I liked the way it felt so much. It stayed put so well even after two wash and dry cycles. I even scratched at the corners a little to see if it would lift, but it wouldn’t budge!
Pellon 931TD
Pellon 931TD Fusible Midweight is a permanent, non-woven fusible interfacing for medium-to-heavyweight fabrics. Its firm support makes a great embroidery backing for activewear, tote bags, pillowcases, curtains, and on heavier materials like corduroy and chino.
To apply the Pellon 931TD embroidery backing, lay the fusible side of the backing down on the wrong side of your fabric in the area where your embroidery will go. Lay a damp or dry press cloth over that, then press and hold iron for 10 seconds at a time, moving along the fabric.
Results: After washing and drying the fabric several times, I’m happy to report that the embroidery backing still adhered to the fabric. It also didn’t change the shape or hand of the fabric, despite its weight. Another win for Pellon!
Final Thoughts
So what’s the best backing for embroidery? Well, that all depends on what you’re working on. If your finished item is something lightweight and/or flow-y, you might want to go with the lighter, Sulky Tender Touch. If your fabric is thicker or you want to add more stability to the garment, I’d go with either the Pellon SF 101 or Pellon 931TD Fusible Midweight.
It’s worth noting that any of these could also be used as an embroidery stabilizer to use before you stitch, like when you are using a thin or stretchy fabric (think t-shirt fabric). Hopefully I’ll be able to do another post on that later. In the meantime, be sure to check out my How to Embroider for Beginners series to answer a lot of frequently asked embroidery questions.
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Thank you for your advice! When using a washable pattern, would you recommend stabilizing with one of these before or after washing the pattern away?
I would say it depends on how stable the fabric is. If it’s really thin or stretchy, I would probably stabilize it during the stitching part. If it seems pretty stable, and you just want to use it to cover the back of your embroidery, I would apply the backing after washing.
Thanks for sharing your tips and recommendations! It’s exactly what I was looking for.
I do a lot of Embroidery on towels, I need to know what kind to use
I wonder if any of these could be used on the back of a knitted garment? I’ve embroidered a picture onto a sweater for my wee grandson and although the back is neat enough and I’ve carefully sewn all the wool ends in at the back, I think a backing of some kind would help keep those wool ends from working loose & looking untidy after a few washes.
Definitely worth a try! I’d give it a go on a test piece first to make sure it works.
@Louise Saunders, did you try it? And did it work?
Just finished reading the article in Country Women and love your Thankful piece. So beautiful and want to learn how to make one.
So glad to have you here! Let me know if you need any help finding my free patterns. You just have to subscribe to my email newsletter, and you get access to all of them! 🙂
I am retired and would like to learn more about embroidery
Can I use a stabilizer for a tshirt and then also back it with one of these options?
Yes, I would probably use a tear away or water soluble stabilizer and then iron the backing on. That way it’s not too bulky.
I have just completed a couple of silk ribbon embroidery pillow projects. I am a bit concerned that the stitches might somehow come undone over time (although I knotted or wove the ends into the stitches). Would a light fusable backing stabilize the stitches without ruining the silk ribbon when I iron it on? The fabric is mid weight linen looking (but not linen). Thank you for you input, This is a gift to my daughter.
I’m not sure. I would test it on a scrap piece first. I’d hate for your project to get ruined.
Hi!
I loved this article! I am going to be making some hand embroidered handkerchiefs for my son’s wedding and was wondering if I should use a backing? I can’t remember how my grandmother did it 🙁
Instead of an iron on backing, I would just try to make the back look as neat as possible. No knots if you can, and no moving from one part of the project to another over the back. I have a couple videos you can watch: https://cutesycrafts.com/2019/03/start-embroidery-without-knots.html and https://cutesycrafts.com/2020/09/how-to-embroider-words-on-thanksgiving-napkins.html.
If I cover the inside of a denim jacket with an iron-on denim patch so that the inside of the jacket has a more finished look, will that work?
Yeah, I think so. As long as the adhesive is strong enough to stay on through the wash.
Thank you for the informative article! I’d like to try the Sulky Tender Touch. Do you find that it still works over embroidery knots from hand embroidery? I worry about the bump caused by the knot.
Thank you for all the information!
Hi! Which of these stabilizers would you recommend for hand embroidered patches?
I haven’t made patches yet, so I’m sorry I can’t be any help yet. It’s on my list of things to try though!
Hi, I am starting to embroider tote bags and wondered what would be best to put on the back of these? As I would like to secure the stitches and make them look a bit nicer?
Thanks
For a tote bag, I’d use the Pellon SF 101. It has a fabric-like feel, and would be nice on the inside of a bag.
Hello, which product to you recommend for linen embroidered with wool? It’s a very long, rectangular piece.
I really like that the Sulky Tender touch, doesn’t change the weight of the fabric, so that has been my favorite for clothing. If it’s a large piece, that might get kind of expensive though. You can go to the fabric store and feel the weights of different iron on interfacing to see if there’s one that you like better. Buying yardage is usually going to be cheaper.
I am attempting to make pillows for my sister and want them to be able to withstand all the messes form her little boy. Would interfacing or backing the design be better for durability?
Yes, I think it would help, especially if they will need to be washed.
I plan on trying my hand at making some hand embroidery pieces on tee shirts. However, I was hoping to figure out, would I use the backing first as a stabilizer, and then cut another piece to iron on as a backing? Or would I only need a stabilizer to do the piece and leave as is? I do not enjoy scratchy feeling embrodiery on the back of shirts however. Haha.
Thanks!
I’m going to be 100% honest with you. I’ve never embroidered on a shirt before (on my list of things to do.) I would probably try using a water soluble stabilizer like Sulky Fabri Solvy, soak it to dissolve when you’re done, and then put on one of these backings. That way you don’t have two layers of backing. That’s what I’m going to try when I do it.
hi Made
I’m fairly new to embroidery. I started with some pillow cases and a dresser scarf. when I ran out of pre-printed kits then I embroidered dish towels. but when I tried a knit t-shirt I had a lot of trouble because of the stretches of a knit fabric. since then I only work on non-stretch fabric.
Kathy
For stretchy fabric, you definitely want to use some kind of interfacing and stitch through both. There are kinds that you can iron on and kinds that you can stick on like a sticker.
Can these backings be used when machine embroidering?
Yes, I believe they can. I’ve only tested them for ironing OVER stitches though, so I don’t know how they would work as a general interfacing.
Could you address fabrics appropriate for hand embroidery wall pieces? I am referring to embroidery that is hung on hoops or framed for display.These will not be washed very often.
Thanks,
Kathy
You don’t need to use an iron on backing like this for a wall piece. I usually like to keep mine in the hoop and use felt on the back of the hoop to hide stitches: https://cutesycrafts.com/2017/10/back-embroidery-hoop-felt.html
Your instructions for backing embroidery projects came at an opportune time. I have just completed embroidering 12 panels to make a quilt – these are cotton fabrics. Which backing should I use for the panels?
Thank you in advance for your advice.
If any, I’d probably use the tender touch, so you don’t change the stiffness of the fabric. I don’t think you’d necessarily need to use an iron on backing for a quilt though, since you’ll be sewing the other side of the quilt on. I get it if you want extra protection though.