3D Gift Bow (Lace)

Sophisticated bows in freestanding lace add elegance and charm to any wrapped gift or gift bag.

So versatile, they also become beautiful ornaments by gluing a small clip to the back and adding it to the tree. Or, add a small pin for a festive holiday brooch.

Supplies & Materials:

Project Materials or Supplies
- Water-soluble stabilizer
- Paper towels
- Fabric glue

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- X3610, Tailored 3D Bow (Lace)
- X3612, Flower and Leaves 3D Bow (Lace)
- X3614, Fleur-de-Lis 3D Bow (Lace)

Special Project Notes:

You can use either 40 weight rayon thread or 30-35 weight cotton thread.

I use Coats and Clark 30 and 35 weight cotton thread. It's labeled as Mercerized ELS Cotton for Machine Quilting & Crafts; Machine Quilting; or All Purpose. I find Coats and Clark cotton thread at JoAnn's. I've also used Madeira Cotona, which is a 30 weight cotton thread.

I use the 30 - 35 weight cotton thread both in the bobbin (I wind my own bobbins) and in the top (needle).

A note about water-soluble stabilizers and needles:

There are many, many different brands of water-soluble stabilizer available. Some are thin and light, some are fibrous, and some are thick and heavy. It can be confusing to pick the right one for your lace project.

We've digitized and stitched thousands of freestanding lace designs, and have consistently excellent results with Sulky Ultra Solvy (the heavy weight water-soluble stabilizer by Sulky) and Vilene, a fibrous water-soluble stabilizer.

Use a sharp needle (as opposed to an embroidery needle) when embroidering onto water-soluble stabilizer - especially if using the "plastic-looking" kind (such as Sulky Ultra Solvy). An embroidery needle has a larger point, which makes larger holes in the water-soluble stabilizer, leading to tearing and misalignment.

When you download a file for a lace bow, you'll find multiple pieces contained inside. The Tailored Bow design contains five pieces; the Fleur de Lis and Flower and Leaves bow contains three pieces.

Instructions below include general tips for embroidering freestanding lace, and specific instructions for each bow.

Lace Embroidery:

To embroider freestanding lace, hoop one piece of water-soluble stabilizer (WSS).

We used Sulky Ultra Solvy.

White plastic embroidery hoop with a rectangular inner frame and latch, placed on a wood grain surface with plastic wrapping partially visible.

Because both sides of freestanding lace can be seen, the bobbin thread should match the top thread.
Wind a bobbin with the same thread that you'll be using in the needle.

Close-up of a hand holding a gold bobbin with thread in front of the bobbin case slot on a white sewing machine with needle and presser foot visible.

We use a size 11 sharp needle when embroidering freestanding lace. If you use a universal or ballpoint needle, that can cause the WSS to tear or rip.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a piece of beige/gold lace fabric shaped into a ribbon or bow on a white background.

After finishing each design, unhoop the WSS and cut away the excess. Trim as close to the embroidery as possible without cutting any of the stitches.

Yellow lace corner piece with a leaf pattern is placed on a dark wood surface; an orange-handled pair of scissors is held near the lace.

Soak the lace in hot tap water. For Sulky Ultra Solvy, soak for 15 minutes.

Hand holding a yellow lace embroidery piece shaped like a gift bow with leaf patterns on a transparent surface background.

After soaking, blot the lace with paper towels. Allow the lace to dry completely. We found that it is easier to soak the design pieces and allow them to dry before assembling them into a bow.

Specific embroidery and assembly instructions for each bow continue below.

Hand holding a white paper towel above an orange lace applique shaped like a folded ribbon or bow, resting on a textured white surface.

Tailored Bow:

The zipped file for this bow contains 5 pieces: two long, narrow pieces; two long, wider pieces; and a "V" shaped piece. Embroider each file once.

Five separate pieces of yellow lace with intricate, looped and floral patterns laid out on a wood-grain surface.

After soaking, drying, and pressing, assemble the bow. Begin by sewing the long pieces together, as shown to the left, with the short ends together.bric.

Three pieces of yellow lace with intricate floral and geometric patterns are laid out on a wood-grain surface.

Using the same color thread, sew a zigzag stitch on both sets where the short ends meet.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a mustard yellow lace with a leaf pattern; presser foot and needle are engaged with the fabric.

Lay the wide piece wrong side up. Apply fabric glue to the center seam.

Hand applying glue from a clear bottle onto a yellow lace piece shaped like a bow on a wood grain tabletop. Only the hand and bow are visible.

Bring the ends to the center, and hold in place until the glue holds.

Hand holding a mustard yellow lace ribbon with floral embroidery, folded into a loop shape on a wooden surface.

Lay the "V" shape piece wrong side down. Add glue to the top.

Yellow lace cut into two ribbon tails with pointed ends on a wood surface, with a hand applying clear glue from a white bottle top.

Glue the wide piece to the "V" shape piece.

Yellow lace bow with embroidered floral patterns, held in place on a wood-grain surface by a person's finger with a silver ring.

Lay the narrow piece wrong side up. Locate the second "notch" away from the center seam on each side. Add glue to both notches.

Hand applying glue from a small bottle to a yellow lace strip with a leaf pattern on a wood-grain table surface.

Bring each end in and press in place until glue holds.

Close-up of a hand holding a folded strip of mustard yellow lace with a floral and geometric pattern on a wooden surface.

Apply more glue to the notches a second time; bring the ends together to form a loop, and hold in place.

Hand holding a small, mustard yellow lace bow with three loops on a wooden surface background.

Apply glue to the back of the bow and attach it inside of the wide piece.

The Tailored Bow is complete!

Golden-yellow lace ribbon shaped into a decorative bow with multiple loops and pointed tails on a wooden surface, held by two hands.

Flower Bow:

This embroidery file contains three pieces. Embroider the leaf-shaped piece six times; embroider the "V" shape and the star shape once each.

Soak, dry, and press the pieces, then follow the assembly steps below.

Seven green lace embroidery pieces shaped like leaves and a star with a pair of wing-like shapes displayed on a wooden surface.

With the wrong side down, apply glue to the circle tab of one of the leaf shapes.

Green lace leaf with intricate vein patterns sits on a wooden surface as a white bottle nozzle dispenses adhesive onto a small round lace piece.

With the "V" shape piece wrong side down, attach the circle tab of the leaf shape, wrong side up, to the circle on the "V" shape.

Hand holding a green lace applique shaped like three ornate leaves or feathers, placed on a wooden surface.

Continue gluing the leaf shape pieces, wrong side up, to the "V" shape piece.

Arrange the leaf shape pieces as shown, layering each center piece on top of one another.

Green lace embroidery piece with a circular center and six elongated petal shapes radiating outward, displayed on a wooden surface.

Add a drop of glue to the ends of each leaf-shape piece...

Green lace embroidery shaped like elongated leaves arranged in a radial pattern on a wood grain surface with a glue bottle tip nearby.

..glue each end to the outside edge of the center circle.

Green lace 3D bow with a textured pattern, featuring two long tails and looped petals, placed on a wooden surface.

Add glue to the wrong side of the star shape piece, and attach it to the center circle.

The Flower Bow is complete!

Person's hand with silver ring holding a green lace bow with two wing-shaped lace tails on a brown wood surface.

Fleur-de-Lis Bow:

This bow design contains three pieces. Embroider the wide, oval shaped-piece once, and all other pieces three times each.

Soak the designs and allow them to dry, following the steps above.

Eight red lace segments arranged on a wooden surface, each shaped like an elongated oval with rounded ends and decorative cutout patterns.

Place one of the narrow pieces wrong side up. Add glue to one of the circle tabs.

Red lace piece with swirl and heart patterns shaped like a gift bow strip, placed on a dark wooden surface. A white glue applicator tip is partially visible.

Bring the right side of the opposite circle tab back, twisting to form an open loop, and attach the circle tabs together. Glue the other two narrow pieces the same way.

Red lace loop with embroidered swirl details held down on a wooden surface by a person's finger with a silver ring on their middle finger.

Apply glue to the wrong side of one of the circle tabs.

Red lace loops with scalloped edges are arranged on a wooden surface; a white glue bottle with a pointed nozzle is applying glue to one lace loop.

Glue and layer all three narrow pieces together in a triangular structure, as shown.

Red lace bow with intricate swirled embroidery on wooden surface, featuring a central knot and two looped ends forming the bow shape.

Lay one of the wide pieces wrong side up. Apply glue to one of the circle tabs.

Red lace piece with floral and swirl embroidery on a wood surface; a glue bottle nozzle is applying adhesive to one end of the lace.

Bring the right side of the opposite circle tab back and attach the circle tabs together. Glue the other two wide pieces the same way. Then, glue and layer the three wide pieces together the same way as the narrow piece section.

Red lace gift bow with intricate floral embroidery, shaped with three loops and a circular center, placed on a wooden surface.

Apply glue to the circle tab in the center of the narrow piece section.

Handmade red lace bow with swirling embroidery patterns, partially assembled on a wood surface, with clear glue applied at the center from a squeeze bottle.

Place the wide piece section in the center of the narrow piece section. Off-set the wide section in between each piece of the narrow section and glue in place.