There are cut-away and tear-away stabilisers. Try pulling a bit of the corner off by hand, if it doesn't tear easily, it's a cut-away. If it feels like thin plastic, it's likely to be wash-away.
Check both sides of each, if one side is a bit shiny, it's probably iron on.
You can also get iron-ons double-sided ,not technically a stabiliser, great for applique. Draw a design on the paper side, iron to back of fabric and cut out design, then peel the back paper off and press onto background fabric
Generally, lighter stabilisers are used for embroidering on finer and sheer fabrics, and stiffer stabilisers used for heavier fabrics and embroideries - denims, caps, bags ets.
I've not used them in ages, preferring the sticky-back wash-away ones, as others are difficult to remove.
Also I find if quilting a sandwich with the embroidery machine, one doesn't need stabiliser, the batting is enough.
Experiment and Have FUN
Last edited by Gay; 10-23-2015 at 12:47 AM.
Reason: adding more