I found this on the Craftsy blog.
[h=3]Stabilizer for in-the-hoop embroidery:[/h] You’ll want to be sure to use
stabilizer for your embroidery projects. Most projects call for tearaway stabilizer. And this is where I change things up a bit. I like tearaway stabilizer, but sometimes a washaway stabilizer may work better. And other times I prefer to use unbleached muslin that has been pressed and starched as my stabilizer.
My preference for a project that should be soft like a zipper bag or a project that is quilted, is to use a very soft tearaway stabilizer, unbleached muslin, or a paperlike washaway stabilizer. The muslin should be a high quality and have a thread count of 200, rather than a muslin with a looser weave. The stabilizer will end up staying inside the project, so it is important to use something that works with the purpose of the project. Tearaway stabilizers that are left within a project tend to soften with washing and use. If you hold tearaway stabilizer under running water, you will see that it falls apart. This is good for a project that you’d like to be soft.
My preference for a project that stands alone with satin stitches on the outer edge such as Christmas ornaments, coasters, or door hangers, is a washaway stabilizer. Often these projects call for a tearaway, but my experience is that there is always a little bit of the tearaway that can be seen around the edge of the object, even after the project has been wet and dried again. And if you want a very stiff project, after the object is finished, wet it without rinsing all of the washaway stabilizer out and you will see that the stabilizer actually melts and “starches” the ornaments.