Embroidery Library Urban Threads The Study

🧵SAVE THIS WEEKEND - 60% Off Singles!

SHOP SINGLE DESIGNS

Wear It. Stitch It. Love It. 🌟 Apparel & Accessory designs are 60% off!

3D Freestanding Lace Unicorn

Completed 3D Lace Unicorn project in white lace, with flower background

A magical unicorn comes to life with this sweet three-dimensional embroidery design. Three pieces are stitched together to create the soft and ethereal 3D mythical creature.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies Needed:


  • Water-soluble stabilizer
  • Hand sewing needle or glue

The design used in this tutorial is:


Unicorn in 3D (Lace)

Gather Materials:

Freestanding lace designs have been specially digitized for watersoluble stabilizer. After the stabilizer is removed, beautiful lace remains behind. When you download the design, you will find a total of 3 files. The files labeled with the letters "a" and "b" are the two sides of the unicorn. The file labeled with the letter "c" is the unicorn's belly.

Two white lace unicorn shapes with intricate swirling and floral patterns on a pink background, along with one small elongated lace piece.

There are a couple of different kinds of water-soluble stabilizer. One is clear and plastic, and that brand is Sulky Ultra Solvy. The other is soft and fibrous, called Vilene. Both will work very well. Vilene is used in this demonstration. Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle. A sharp sewing needle has a smaller, finer point than an embroidery needle. That means it will make smaller holes in the stabilizer.

A hand peeling a clear plastic backing off a piece of stiff white fabric on a wooden surface, likely preparing materials for embroidery or crafting.

Freestanding lace is seen from both sides, so wind a bobbin with the same thread that you're using in the needle.

Close-up of a white sewing machine bobbin wound with white thread, placed in the bobbin holder area on a sewing machine.

Start Embroidering:

Hoop the stabilizer firmly. Make sure it is nice and tight with no wrinkles.

Embroidery hoop with fabric stretched for machine embroidery, attached to a gray plastic frame on a white surface, no visible stitching yet.

Load the first file (piece "a") onto your machine. Use 40 weight rayon or polyester thread. You can also use 30 weight cotton or metallic thread for most freestanding lace designs. Embroider the design.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching white lace in the shape of a unicorn on a translucent fabric secured in a white hoop. The background is blurred.

After embroidering, trim away the excess stabilizer.

Orange-handled scissors with metallic blades, partially open, hold a piece of white lace shaped like a unicorn with swirling patterns on translucent fabric background.

The stabilizer's packaging should give instructions for removing the excess. For Vilene, soak the lace pieces for a few moments.

A hand holds a piece of delicate white lace with a unicorn design above a textured, concentric circular white surface, possibly a bowl or lampshade.

Allow the lace to air dry, then press with a pressing cloth on top.

Close-up of a white lace unicorn piece being pressed with a steam iron on a light-colored ironing board cover. The lace has intricate floral and swirl patterns.

Repeat the steps above to embroider the other two lace pieces ("b", "c"). After they are completed, starch the side and belly pieces flat before assembling to make them sturdier.

Two white lace unicorn shapes facing each other with detailed swirling patterns and one small elongated lace piece below on a plain light background.

Take the two side pieces of the unicorn ("a", "b"), and hold them together, wrong sides together.

A hand holding a small, white embroidered lace unicorn with detailed patterns; the unicorn is lightweight and slightly translucent, shown against a plain light background.

Starting at the underside of where the snout meets the neck, hand sew the two pieces together. Make sure to hold them securely while sewing so the two pieces stay lined up with each other. Use the same thread as used in the embroidery.

A hand holding white embroidered lace in the shape of a unicorn head with a needle inserted near the horn, on a plain light background.

Continue sewing until you get to the point where the underside of the tail meets the body of the unicorn. Tie off, and thread the needle with a new length of thread.

Close-up of a hand gently pinching and sewing detailed white lace fabric with a needle and thread, showing intricate floral and swirl patterns.

Next take the belly piece ("c") and line one side up with the bottom edge of one side as shown. The thinner end of the belly piece goes by the head of the unicorn. Make sure the right side of the lace is on the outside of the unicorn, and hand sew starting from under the snout to the underside of the tail.

Close-up of a hand holding a delicate white lace fabric piece shaped like a small animal with a needle threaded and ready for sewing, on a neutral background.

Then tie off and get another length of thread. Sew the opposite side of the belly to the other side piece. Again, make sure to start sewing from the snout and moving towards the back of the unicorn. Always going in this direction will help to make sure all the lace pieces line up well as you sew.

White lace unicorn held in an open hand, showing delicate embroidery with swirls and floral patterns, on a plain light background.

Finally, cut a 6" length of ribbon or twine, and thread it through the mane of the unicorn. Tie it into a loop, and use it as a hanger.

White lace unicorn ornament with intricate swirl and floral patterns, held by a hand for scale, against a plain light background.