I use wash away-tear away stabilizer, I hoop the stabilizer and a thin piece of muslin along with my fabric. This gives the design something to hold onto after the tear away is torn off and lessens my chances of pulling the stitches out. I use the wash away because some of my designs have been a bit dense and the wash away will dissolve and keep the quilt block soft but still has some shape due to the thin muslin. I'm talking really cheap thin muslin so make sure you wash it first because it will shrink.