💫Get 10 Designs for $20!

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

Alphabet Bunting (Lace)

Alphabet Bunting (Lace)

Share your heartfelt feelings of love and affection with this sweet bunting! It's made up of stunning freestanding lace letters, and is a beautiful addition to home decor.

Supplies & Materials:

 

Project Needs & Notes:


- Heavyweight water-soluble stabilizer (like Vilene or Sulky Ultra Solvy)


- 1/4" - 3/8" wide ribbon (for hanger)


The designs used in this tutorial include:

- X12257, A Bunting (Lace) Alphabet Design Pack - Lg

Gather Materials:

Most embroidery designs are stitched onto fabric. But freestanding lace designs are specially digitized for water-soluble stabilizer. When that water-soluble stabilizer is removed, beautiful lace remains behind.

White lace embroidery on purple background featuring a large heart with a bird inside, surrounded by flowers and leaves in a rectangular frame.


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.

Hand holding a small, semi-transparent, white lace fabric piece next to a square piece of white stabilizer on a light wood surface.


Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle when embroidering freestanding lace - not an embroidery needle.


A sharp sewing needle has a smaller, finer point than an embroidery needle. That means it will make smaller holes in the stabilizer.

Close-up of a left hand holding a silver sewing needle with thumb and forefinger against a light wood surface background.


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 hand holding a transparent plastic sewing machine bobbin with white thread. A white sewing machine and wooden surface are in the background.

Start Embroidering:

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

Rectangular embroidery hoop with white stabilizer fabric stretched inside, placed on a wooden surface. The hoop has a locking mechanism and is light green.


Use 40 weight rayon or polyester thread. You can also use 30 weight cotton or metallic thread for most freestanding lace designs.

Close-up of white lace embroidery in a machine hoop, featuring floral and leaf patterns with diamond mesh background, under sewing machine needle.


After embroidering, cut the excess stabilizer away.

White lace square with a large decorative letter "L" and floral patterns, placed on a wooden surface beside silver scissors and beige fabric pieces.


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

Hand holding a delicate, translucent lace fabric piece with an embroidered letter "V" and floral motifs, partially submerged in a white bowl of water.


Air dry and press. Use a pressing cloth to avoid scorching.

Close-up of a Black & Decker iron pressing a white lace corner with floral embroidery and a rectangular cutout on a teal surface.


To create the hanger, thread the ribbon through the eyelet openings at the top edges of the lace pieces.

Hand holding pink ribbon attached to three white lace bunting flags on wooden surface, each flag featuring an embroidered letter or symbol (heart, L, O) with floral patterns.


This sweet lace bunting is a beautiful addition to showers, weddings, anniversary parties, home decor, and more!

Three white lace bunting flags with the letters S, E, and W in large embroidered fonts, strung on a pink ribbon against a teal background.