Embroidery Stablizer for Foundation
 

When I decided to use my blue 1 1/2" stings for a quilt, I thought using muslin for a foundation was the way to go. It's only a 8" block with 1 1/2" sashings and corner stones making a 5x6 row quilt. When putting this thing together, it's really going to be heavy when the batting/backing is added. It got me to thinking...has anyone used a water soluble embroidery stabilizer as their foundation? Once washed it would dissolve away. Thinking about trying some for a baby quilt. If you have done this can you advise me of the pro's and con's before I order some from Amazon and waste my money and time.
I know some use dryer sheets, and if I were making another string quilt for myself it would be o.k., just not for a baby quilt.

Hi Linda,

I haven't done string blocks. The WSS can be expensive. You could try a product called no show mesh. It comes in fusible or non-fusible. The non-fusible would work fine for your project.

I use no show mesh for machine embroidery. It stays in the embroidery blocks and sewn into the quilt.

Hope that helps!

I've been using sew-in interfacing for my string quilts. Doesn't add any weight, and is easy to quilt with.

Something you should consider if using water soluble for any type of sewing, if you don't remove as much as possible, what's left goes down your drain. If you have a septic tank, I have no idea what that stuff might do to it but something to check on. I used the thinnest, cheapest muslin for my foundation and didn't find it too thick once all put together.

On a quilt I recently finished I did string blocks. Some with muslin and other using a very thin pellum paper that I pulled off of each block. The water soluble embroidery stabilizer has several draw backs IMHO. #1 It falls apart easily with movement and since your block will not be in a frame that could be a problem. #2. The high cost of the water soluble stabilizer could quickly become more costly than your fabric scraps. #3 Water soluble stabilizer is also pretty flimsy. It will not be strong enough to support your work on the blocks. Let us know what you decide.

I bought paper sheets from Missouri Star Quilt Company specifically to make string quilts. Haven't tried it yet but I have used the layer cake sheets that come in a tablet and that is fun to do. You get accurate seams and tear off the paper when blocks are finished so hopefully the paper sheets I bought will do the same thing. If you are using muslin and then batting and backing that really seems to be a very heavy quilt. What if you left the batting out?

I have made quite a few string blocks, using muslin as the foundation. They add a bit of weight to the quilt but not much and the muslin gives a firm backing to the blocks, I usually press the seams open.

since you are asking about water soluble stabilizer, i assume the piecing foundation does not need to remain part of the quilt.
if that's the case, try using very thin paper instead.
with a smaller than usual stitch length it should tear out nicely.
any itty bits left behind will not cause problems down the road.

go to the dollar store and look for the "newsprint" tablets in the kiddie or craft section.