Water-soluble stabilizers (WSS) are one of the great wonders of the embroidery world. There are so many kinds out there, they come in different weights, and many have different names. How do you know which one is right for the job you are stitching?

There are three basic types of WSS on the market: light film, heavy film, and mesh. Or, you might see them listed as backing or topping.

These angel designs show two kinds. Water-soluble (WS) light films (left) look like plastic wrap while mesh (right) appears more like a light mesh tear-away stabillizer (make sure you properly identify your mesh stabilizers so as not to confuse regular mesh and WSS mesh).

Films work well with low-stitch designs or freestanding applique with light-weight fabrics, like organza. Heavier WSS will work too, but the heavier it is, the more you have to rinse it to get rid of the stabilizer.

Films are wonderful as a topper when stitching fabric with a pile, like fleece or towels. The thin film holds down fibers so embroidery can sit on top of the fabric.

If you are using a film on top, baste it down with basting stitches. If you do not have basting stitches as a built-in function on your embroidery machine, you can get free basting files here.

When the embroidery is finished, tear or cut away extra WSS and rinse the rest away or use a wet cotton swab along the edge to eliminate the remaining WSS. Store WSS in air-tight containers or zip bags. Keep scraps too. They can be used to patch tears and give added support to heavy-stitch areas.

Even embroidery on t-shirts and sweat-shirts can benefit from using a film stabilizer on top. Try it some time. It provides a more professional look to your embroidery.

Mesh WSS is very easy to hoop and supports even medium- to heavy-stitch designs and applique and is easy to remove. Trade names include FabriSolvy.