Best Stabilizers for Cuddle® Minky Plush Fabrics (& Pom Pom Cuties Showcase)

When it comes to embroidering on soft, fluffy fabrics, the project options are endless — pillows, blankets and fuzzy slippers just to name a few. Sometimes though, it can be confusing which stabilizers work best for those luxurious piles to get the most professional results. 

Hi, my name is Sue O’Very-Pruitt of Sookie Sews, the author of Pocket Guide to Stabilizers and here I will be sharing with you my go-to-stabilizers for materials with loft, like Luxe Cuddle® minky plush fabric.

Pocket Guide to Stabilizers by Sue O’Very-Pruitt

Best Stabilizers for Cuddle® Minky Plush Fabrics

There are hundreds of different stabilizers on the market from dozens of brands, but in my book, I break these down to five types: Tear-Away, Cut-Away, Wash-Away, Heat-Away and Specialty.

See Related: Longarm Quilting Tips for Cuddle® Minky Fabric

Narrowing it to the basics really helps when selecting the right stabilizer for the right fabric every single time. The same goes for fabrics — there are so many amazing fabrics in the world, but I also condensed it to five: Woven, Knit, Napped, Sheer and Non-Woven.  

A page from the book showcasing a variety of materials

One of my favorite fabrics to sew and embroider with is Luxe Cuddle® Rose (see more, here). It’s soft, textured and provides a look like no other. It can look like faux fur without the thickness of it. 

A page from the book showcasing Luxe Cuddle® Rose

I’ve used Luxe Cuddle® Rose in a few different projects, the most popular are the Pom Pom Cuties. These in-the-hoop key fobs have a head at the top (the flamingo for example), and the body is made using the Luxe Cuddle® Rose Pom Pom and looks like a little pillow.

They are fast to stitch up and super cute. They can be used as key chains, scissor fobs, purse decorations and more.

Pom Pom Cuties from Sookie Sews

When embroidering directly onto the surface of Luxe Cuddle® Rose, my go-to stabilizer combination is a lightweight or shear cut-away for hooping, wash-away for the topper and lightweight tear-away for floating underneath. Since this fabric has a pile, I would avoid hooping the fabric directly to not crush the texture.

Also because of the pile, I find that using a wash-away topper helps keep the top surface smooth and accepting of the embroidery stitches more evenly.

Speaking of toppers, there are two types I like to use, wash-away and heat-away. The most common topper is wash-away — it’s readily available and easy to use. Simply lay one to two layers over the top of the fabric, stitch the design, tear the wash-away pieces around the embroidery designs and wash away any leftover pieces that didn’t get torn away or are under the stitches.

See Related: Embroidery and Applique Tips for Cuddle® Minky Plush Fabric (& Video)

If your project will be laundered (like a bathrobe, for example), I don’t initially wash away the leftover pieces since it will eventually get laundered.

Heat-away is a little more difficult to find but it has some good qualities. When working with a project that will rarely be laundered (like a decorative pillow, wall hanging, etc.), the heat-away will keep the pile nice and flat indefinitely. Even when laundered, it will retain its shape.

Using a heat-away stabilizer for a topper is a unique stabilizer solution, give it a try.

Now you might be wondering, “why use a tear-away stabilizer floating underneath?” I find that adding an extra layer of non-woven tear away helps keep the shape and overall look of the design. Consider when stitching a design that has an outline — have you ever embroidered one and the outline is slightly skewed from the outside of the embroidery? This could be because of the embroidery design, but is more likely because the stabilizer wasn’t doing its job.

A page from the book showcasing a variety of wash-away stabilizers

Stabilizer is designed to keep the material as smooth and flat as possible while embroidering. Adding an extra layer of tear-away to the backside might give the fabric exactly what it needs to stitch perfect.

I hope this blog post gave you a little insight to how this Pocket Guide to Stabilizers can help make your embroidering life more simplified. If you’d like to get your copy, head to Sue’s website today and pick up a copy. Use the code SHANNON2021 to save 10%. 

If you have any questions about Cuddle® minky plush fabrics or any of our Cuddle® Kits, feel free to contact our friendly, no-pressure customer service team at 866-624-5252.

Ready to start creating with Cuddle® minky fabric? Use our store locator to find a selection of Cuddle® minky fabric online or near you.