Applique backing for machine embroidery, fusible web, trimming help

[Meeks]

Can anyone recommend a product to use for machine embroidery to serve as the embroidery base that tears away from the applique cleanly?  My end game is to sew or fuse finished appliques onto clothing items (that will be gently washed regularly).

I have been using various materials as the base of my applique (with stabilizer on the bottom) when I do the machine embroidery.  My issue is (after the machine embroidery is complete) I can not cut the material surrounding the applique close enough without hitting the border of the applique and fraying the threads (see deer applique picture).  Is there a base material where you can embroider the design on it and then neatly tear the surrounding material off the applique in the end, with no cutting involved?  I have tearaway stabilizer I tried embroidering directly on, but it's so thin the applique fill and outline came apart (which I expected - see star applique picture).  I can't embroider directly on most garments because I am limited to a 5x7 area, and additionally I have not been able to control the puckering on the items I have tried directly embroidering on, so it's really not worth it.

My next question is about fusible web (or fusible materials that would be better than web).  Due to any machine embroidered applique being covered in the back by bobbin thread, my assumption is fusible backing would have to be fusible on both sides, since it would have to be applied to the back of the applique after it is embroidered.  Does anyone have any advice on this process, and/or a fusing product that works for you?  I have been researching, but there are so many products out there it's overwhelming.  I was hoping that someone on this forum could recommend the best fusing process/product for my purposes (sewing or fusing the applique on clothing items that will be gently laundered on a regular basis).

Finally, any trimming suggestions?  I tried an Exacto knife and some other crafting razors which didn't work out well, and I had better luck with small, sharp trimming scissors.  I was careful but still ended up fraying thread.  I do have a Scan&Cut that is compatible with my embroidery machine (which can export cut patterns for the Scan&Cut to reference), but within the sewing patterns some of the details get thrown off and it makes me doubt the exported cut data for the scan&cut could be precise enough to do an exact cut.  I don't think the applique material would stay down on the Scan&Cut mat anyhow, it's had issues cutting much thinner materials than what I would need it to cut for this purpose.

Thank you!  So grateful for forums like this one!