Since blankets are rarely right next to babies skin, the need for the super soft technique described in lesson #7 isn’t as critical. Also, as babies age and become more mobile, their clothing isn’t apt to cause the constant "rubbing" next to their skin as when they are sleeping most of the time. The Perfectly Stable © line of embroidery design stabilizers offers several choices, depending on the garment,  project and embroidery design you are working on for an infant. Following are the criteria I use for determining which combination/s I use for my own grandchildren, depending on their age:

       Still choose a non-dense embroidery design for baby, as they are easier to stabilize. Since most infant and toddler garments are made of cotton or cotton blend knit, thermal knit (blankets) or light-weight broadcloth fabrics, they need a soft backing such as the Perfectly Stable © # 04-BTL BabySoft-Fuse© light or 05-BTM, BabySoft-Fuse© medium, as the base layer. The weight will depend on the fabric and embroidery design combination. (Again, the 8x8 size is best for baby garments as rarely will an infant’s garment require a hoop any larger than the 4x4.) The fusible embroidery design backing will eliminate the slight design curling after laundering; you experienced with the backing style used in lesson #7.

      The method I tested was using 1 layer of BabySoft-Fuse© medium & 1 layer of BabySoft-Tear© light - the 1^st layer turned with the straight grain of the embroidery backing turned to the cross-grain of the fabric. The 2^nd layer was turned with the straight grain of the backing to the straight grain of the fabric. (If you are placing the embroidery design on the diagonal grain of the fabric, place the first layer with the straight grain of the backing to the diagonal grain of the fabric.) I used 505 spray adhesive on 2^nd layer of non-fusible - not the fabric. I used the same method of hooping such the small garment by turning the garment inside out and formed a "hole" to work in.

       I have found that the smaller the garment, the harder embroidery design placement is because there is less room for error! Therefore I used my Hoop Mate™ leg/sleeve board for accurate placement.

      Again - since the hoop often leaves "burns" on this type of fabric, I chose NOT to hoop the garment itself. I chose the softest polyester tear away, #10-TAM, Soft-Hand© tear away medium to hoop. (This tear away product is meant to be completely removed by either tearing away an any remaining will be gone after laundering.) I then sprayed the hooped TA with 505 spray adhesive to hold my baby garment in place until I could apply the embroidery basting stitch to hold it all in place for stitching the embroidery design. The last thing I did, just prior to the basting stitch was to add a layer of #12-AHP9, Angel Hair plus© water soluble on top. (I used 2 layers on the thermal weave blanket.) The embroidery basting stitch will hold it in place. When stitching the embroidery design is finished, just tear away any remaining backing & topping. Mist the front side of the embroidery design with cold water to remove any remaining soluble and allow to air dry.

RESULTS: The thermal weave receiving blanket with the embroidery designs placed diagonally on each corner turned out great! The embroidery designs have not warped after laundering, nor is there any puckering around the embroidery designs. One word of caution: If you are stitching on the legs of a garment for a crawling baby, use the method in lesson #7. NOTE: If you don’t wish to hoop the garment try the #13-WS12, Wonder-Solv ©  used in lesson #7. -  See >  Stabilizing Embroidery Designs Lesson number 7 < Click Here

     Sandy