Embroidered towels are the perfect wedding and graduation gift! They are easy, quick and always appreciated. Stabilizer is one of the keys to successful embroidery on towels. Use a water soluble topping to ensure the loops and pile of the towel is captured under the design. While the film type of water-soluble stabilizer is the right choice for the topping, it is a poor choice for the backing. It is best to use tear-away stabilizer as a backing. Since designs for terry are relatively dense, this stabilizer might not last through the embroidering process and repeated washings will diminish its support of the design. Likewise, do not be tempted to use sticky-backed tear-away directly on the towel. The adhesive will pull out the towel loops and ruin the towel.

The combination of a water soluble topping and a tear-away backing are the ideal choice for towels. A low tack fusible is a good option for the tear-away. It can easily be removed without pulling the loops and will continue to support the design through numerous washings.