most ▁any ▁type ▁of ▁fabric ▁can ▁be ▁emb roid ered , ▁given ▁the ▁proper ▁stabil izer . ▁Base ▁materials ▁include ▁paper , ▁fabric , ▁and ▁light weight ▁b als a ▁wood . ▁ ▁Machine ▁emb roid ery ▁commonly ▁uses ▁poly ester , ▁ray on , ▁or ▁met all ic ▁emb roid ery ▁thread , ▁though ▁other ▁thread ▁types ▁are ▁available . ▁ 4 0 ▁w t ▁thread ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁commonly ▁used ▁emb roid ery ▁thread ▁weight . ▁Bob bin ▁thread ▁is ▁usually ▁either ▁ 6 0 ▁w t ▁or ▁ 9 0 ▁w t . ▁The ▁quality ▁of ▁thread ▁used ▁can ▁greatly ▁affect ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁thread ▁breaks ▁and ▁other ▁emb roid ery ▁problems . ▁Poly ester ▁thread ▁is ▁generally ▁more ▁color - safe ▁and ▁dur able . ▁ ▁Other ▁associated ▁costs ▁are ▁thread , ▁stabil izer , ▁purchased ▁designs , ▁need les , ▁b obb ins , ▁and ▁other ▁mis cell aneous ▁tools ▁and ▁supplies . ▁ ▁Emb roid ery ▁gl oss ary ▁ ▁App li qué ▁French ▁term ▁meaning ▁applying , ▁usually ▁by ▁se wing , ▁one ▁piece ▁of ▁fabric ▁to ▁the ▁surface ▁of ▁another . ▁A ▁cut ▁piece ▁of ▁material ▁st itch ed ▁to ▁another ▁adds ▁dimension ▁and ▁texture ▁and ▁reduces ▁the ▁st itch ▁count . ▁▁ ▁Back er / St abil izer ▁Back ing ▁and ▁stabil izer ▁are ▁often ▁used ▁inter change ably ▁to ▁refer ▁to ▁materials , ▁generally ▁non - w oven ▁text iles , ▁which ▁are ▁placed ▁inside ▁or ▁under ▁the ▁item ▁to ▁be ▁emb roid