Originally Posted by
TanyaL
I would like to know more about your stabilizers. What KIND do you use for dense stitching of 60,000-80,000 stitches? You say your don't float and you don't spray. I've never had any float, but I do have some trouble with my fabric getting some puckers when I embroider with these dense designs. I have started basting around the outside edge of the area before I hoop my fabric and stabilizer and I find that that has helped. I think some of my problem may be caused by lack of strength in my wrists to pull the fabric taut enough in the hoop. When I get a small pucker, I toss the fabric and start over again and that is expensive since I am doing very large designs on suede place mats.
The kind of stabilizer I use depends upon the type of fabric I am embroidering. For a non-stretch like the suede you described, I would use a tear away. For the number of stitches you are doing, I would hoop 2 layers with my fabric and then float one piece under the embroidery. The suede is rather stiff and should not need additional stabilizer.
You will just have to test and see what serves you best. Definitely I would baste before I stitched. Sounds like you are on the right track.