Add a stylish look to your towels with Battenburg lace embellishments. Not only does the intricate freestanding lace add a level of elegance to your towels, but it is also made of 100% cotton thread, meaning it's just as soft on your skin. Learn how to embroider Battenburg lace and add it to your bath towels by following our instructions.
Supplies & Materials:
Project Materials or Supplies
- Water-soluble stabilizer
 (Vilene or Sulky Ultra Solvy)
- 30-35 weight cotton thread
- Size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle
- Towels (we include a bath and hand
 towel in this example)
The designs used in this tutorial include:Â
Gather Materials:
Battenburg lace designs are embroidered onto water-soluble stabilizer. When the stabilizer is soaked away, beautiful lace remains behind.
Battenburg lace is digitized for 30-35 weight cotton thread. This thread brings a classic, hearty, and traditional look to the lace pieces.
30-35 weight cotton thread is found under different names, such as mercerized cotton or all-purpose cotton.
You will use the same thread in both the top and the bobbin. Wind a bobbin with the cotton thread.
Two kinds of water-soluble stabilizer can be used when embroidering freestanding lace. One is clear and plastic-like, known as Sulky Ultra Solvy.
The other is soft and fibrous, called Vilene. Both kinds will work very well. Sulky Ultra Solvy is used in this demonstration.
A template is a printout of a design. Most embroidery software programs can print templates.
We recommend Wilcom's Hatch software which comes in different levels depending on what you'd like to use the software for. Hatch Organizer works well to view your designs, print dielines and templates, change design colors, and create basic design layouts. (This is an affiliate link. We may earn commission on purchases made with this link.)
Print templates of the designs from your embroidery software, and use them to plan where the lace pieces will be added.
Start Embroidering:
Hoop a piece of water-soluble stabilizer. Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle. Embroider the designs.
At each color stop, change the bobbin to match the top thread.
Trim the excess stabilizer away. Then, soak the pieces in water to remove the remaining stabilizer.
Check your stabilizer's package instructions to see how long to soak the stabilizer. For Vilene, the stabilizer is dissolved in a few moments.
Blot, and allow to air-dry. When the pieces are completely dry, press with an iron. Use a pressing cloth to prevent scorching.
Position the lace on the towel and pin it in place.
Thread the machine with the same cotton thread that you used to embroider the designs.
Sew a 1/4" seam along the outer edges of the lace.
Repeat for other lace designs that you'll add to the towel.
If using a border, you may find that the lace extends past the edge of the fabric. If this is the case, fold the lace over the edges of the towel. Sew a 1/4" seam along the folded edges.
Arrange the lace designs any way you like to create a custom design for your towels. Mix and match corners, borders, sprays, and other designs to give your towels a unique look..
