We’ve all been there, the perfect design is calling out to us just itching to be stitched, but how to choose the best fabric for embroidery? Will any fabric on from our stash work or does it need to be the exact one listed in the instructions? Well, the simple answer is that you can embroider onto almost any fabric or material, but each type does have its own benefits and challenges. Stick with us as we guide you through some of the most common types of fabric for embroidery and delve into some more unusual ones – for you adventurous types out there!
Cotton fabric
Cotton fabric is commonly available in three different weight classifications; cotton lawn, which is lightweight; cotton poplin, which is light-medium weight; and quilting cotton, which is medium weight.
Quilting weight cotton is ideal for working modern embroidery as it is strong enough to hold the weight of the stitching without warping or snagging, but not too thick that it’s tough to stitch through. It is also dense enough to disguise any trailing threads on the back of the stitching that may be visible through thinner fabrics.
If you’ve got some light-weight fabric in your stash then you can definitely still use it, but we recommend either layering it into your hoop on top of another piece of cotton fabric and then stitching through both layers. Or, back it with light or medium-weight iron-on interfacing to make it more sturdy – this method is ideal for projects that are going to be removed from the hoop and made into something else, such as a hanging or a bag.
