Question about embroidering

I would like to embroider some onesies and a blanket for my sister who is expecting soon.  The items will probably be washed a lot and I was wondering if I need to stablize it somehow and if so with what.  I don't want the embroidery to come undone after lots of wear and washings.

One of the girls my husband worked with embroidered a onsie for my daughter when she was small.  I am almost certain that she did not stablize it.  It was worn often and washed up fine.  I am not one to treat children's clothes with kid gloves, either.  It got washed on warm with regular detergent and dried in the dryer on perm. press.  My daughter also has several hand-smocked dresses that get worn a ton (our attitude is, if it took a zillion hours to make then you should wear it as much as possible before you outgrow it).  They get the same laundry treatment.  Granted, smocking and embroidering are a bit different, but the only thing I've noticed is that the DMC floss fades a little bit after several washings.  I've never had a problem with stitches coming undone, etc. and my daughter is a bruiser. 

When I applique, I use a tear away stabilizer and I really like this method.  There isn't anything left to scratch the skin when you are done.  I've had good results with wash and wear using it. 

If you are worried about stitches coming undone, you could put a little fray check around the beginning and ending of sections.  This would help secure the threads.

Are you hand embrodering or using a machine? 

I am hand embroidering.  I meant to mention that. 

Thanks so much for your responses.  They have helped a lot.

littlefiddle:

That's what I wanted to know.  If the items could be washed with the regular laundry.  Thanks.

wondermommy:

 I don't understand using tear away stabilizer if you tear it away when you are done.  I have never used it and am new to sewing. I think I am missing something.  Does the tear away stabilizer make it more durable in the end? 

Good idea about the fraycheck.

The tear-away helps keep it stable during sewing, but if you are hand embroidering you probably don't need this unless you are going to use a big fill in.  I thought if you were machine embroidering or appliquing it would help the integrity while you sew.  I just mentioned it because you asked for a stablizer 

Since you are hand embroidering I wouldn't worry about it.  Unless, you feel that the material you are embroidering on is too stretchy and flimsy.  Then, using a stabilzer could help you from stretching your fabric and your design.  You can find tear away at a place like Jo-Ann near all of the pacakged fusibles and such.  I like tear away becasue after you are done using it...you just tear it away and aren't left with any stiff backing.  It will feel like a stiff piece of fabric when you pull it out of the bag.

I hope this helps!  I'm sorry that I confused you at first.