Hi Rhonda K. I'm using a very stiff stabilizer that irons on, this sticks to the soft fusible can't remember what it's called, but it's expensive iron on, and this then sticks to the 7 multi-layers of color strips which are applique stitched together..There's a lot of taking the hoop in and out of the machine while laying down the strip color under base, don't think a lot of people get how these panels are assembled..The whole base panel is applique and then the scene is fully embroidered, there's a lot of work to assemble these panels, I'm taking about 3-4 hrs per panel and that's not preparing the material strips or cutting stabilizer or fusible..to load it into the hoop. I use clip magnets and paint tape to keep taught, some of the embroideries panels have 80K stitches and 25 colors..Hope this helps