Guidelines for using Ricky Tims' Stable Stuff® Poly:

For Ink Jet, Laser Printers, or Copiers: Remove standard paper from paper tray. Use on sheet of Stable Stuff® at a time. If product tends to curl, press with a medium heat iron to flatten first. Use a light ink setting and copy designs that will be created on medium to dark fabrics. For light colored fabric, trace with a water-soluble pen or pencil. (Always test your project first by making samples). For larger quilting designs, copy overlapping segments onto Stable Stuff®. Align overlapping elements, then use a fabric glue stick to assemble into a larger design.

Appliqué: Cut shapes from Stable Stuff®. Baste appliqué around shapes. For extra firm templates, adhere two layers of Stable Stuff®, then stitch your design. There is no need to remove Stable Stuff® — when Stable Stuff® is wet or washed, it will soften and reside inside your appliqué as a fine, soft layer of poly fibers. Stable Stuff® can also be used as a stabilizer for machine appliqué Tear it way or not!

Embroidery: Use a stabilizer under machine embroidery projects. Tear it away or not!

Foundation Piecing: Piece your paper-piecing project directly onto Stable Stuff®. Tear away or not! Remember, Stable Stuff® will become a fine layer of polyester fibers inside your quilt. Once your quilt is quilted and bound, wet or wash it to soften Stable Stuff®.

Machine Quilting: Copy of trace quilting design onto Stable Stuff® using the printed guidelines show above. Place Stable Stuff® on back of quilt top in desired position using water-soluble glue stick or a light dusting of fabric spray adhesive. Using water-soluble thread (top and bobbin), stitch the design. The bobbin thread will mark the quilt top. Tear away Stable Stuff® or not! Wet or wash completed quilt to remove water-soluble thread and soften Stable Stuff®.

BONUS! For Machine Trapunto: Place a single layer of thin batting between Stable Stuff® and quilt top (back). Stitch with water-soluble thread to accomplish both trapunto and marking at the same time. Cut away excess batting and Stable Stuff®. Layer quilt sandwich, quilt and bind. Wet or wash finished quilt to remove water-soluble thread and soften Stable Stuff®.