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Birdcage in 3D (Lace)

Completed Birdcage in 3D (Lace) project, branches in background

Add a little sweetness to your decor with this unique five-sided birdcage! Stitch each freestanding lace piece separately, then stitch together to assemble -- complete with a little perch inside. We'll show you how to create your own beautiful birdcage!

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies


  • Heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer
  • Hand sewing needle
  • Hot glue gun
  • Ribbon or cord

The design used in this tutorial is:


Birdcage 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 seven files which contain all of the pieces of the birdcage.

White laser-cut lace pieces laid out on a dark wooden surface, shaped like parts of a 3D birdcage with decorative patterns and grid designs.

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.

Two thin sheets, one white and fibrous and the other clear and crinkled plastic, lie flat on a wooden surface with visible grain.

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 sewing machine bobbin loaded with white thread, seated in the bobbin case area of a white sewing machine.

Start Embroidering:

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

Embroidery hoop with white fabric secured inside, resting on a wooden surface; hoop has a rectangular extension for machine attachment.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load file "a". Embroider the design.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a white lace design of a birdcage on translucent fabric secured in an embroidery hoop. The machine needle and foot are visible.

After embroidering, trim away the excess stabilizer.

Orange-handled scissors partially under a rectangular piece of white lace with a decorative birdcage pattern. Both are on a dark wooden surface.

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

Hand holding a small, white embroidered lace patch shaped like a birdcage with bars and scrollwork, held above a ridged, circular brown bowl.

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

Blue and black iron pressing the corner of a white fabric with a delicate white lace birdcage design on a blue ironing board.

Repeat the steps above to embroider the rest of the lace pieces. Sew a total of 4 of piece "a," 2 of piece "b," 5 of pieces "d" and "e," and 1 of pieces "c," "f," and "g."

White lace pieces arranged on a dark wooden surface, shaped in parts resembling birdcages and decorative geometric panels, with intricate lace patterns.

To begin assembling the lantern, take two of the side pieces (labeled with an "a"), and match up the long edges with the wrong sides of the lace pieces together. Make sure the tops and bottoms are also matched up, and hand sew the pieces together along one long edge. This can also be sewn with a zigzag stitch on a sewing machine.

Hand holding a delicate white 3D lace birdcage with intricate embroidery patterns on a dark wooden surface background.

Then repeat to sew all four of the side "a" pieces together side by side. Make sure to always sew them with wrong sides together, and also watch to make sure none end up upside down. This step can also be sewn on a sewing machine.

White lace piece with four repeating birdcage patterns featuring vertical bars and curved tops, laid on a dark wooden surface with loose thread.

Lay the sides out on the table. Then take the door (piece "c"), and the two door frame pieces (labeled with a "b"), and line them up along the side piece ("a") that is all the way on the right. Place the door ("c") between the two door frame pieces ("b"). Make sure all the right sides of the lace are facing up.

White lace pieces arranged on a dark wooden surface, each featuring a birdcage pattern with intricate scrollwork and grid designs; multiple rectangular sections.

With wrong sides together, sew the door ("C) and door frame pieces ("b") to the side piece ("a"). Make sure not to sew the door to the door frame. This will allow the door to be opened and closed once the birdcage is completed.

Hand holding a white lace strip with rectangular cutouts and decorative swirls, resembling a birdcage pattern, against a dark wood background.

Next, take one of the bottom roof pieces (labeled with a "d"). Match up the longest edge to the top edge of one side piece ("a"). Make sure the wrong sides are together. Then hand sew the pieces together along that edge. This step can also be sewn on a machine.

Hand holding a white lace fabric piece shaped like a three-dimensional birdcage, showing scrollwork details, with transparent threads on a dark wooden surface.

Repeat to add all of the bottom roof pieces ("d") on top of the all the side pieces ("a"). Also add one on top of the top door frame ("b").

White lace embroidery of five connected birdcages with decorative swirls at the bottom, laid flat on a dark wooden surface.

Then hand sew a top roof piece ("e") on top of a bottom roof piece ("d"). This time make sure the right sides are together when hand sewing along the straight edge. This can also be sewn on the machine.

Hand holds white lace piece with grid pattern, needle and thread inserted, working on joining or finishing above a lace birdcage base on dark surface.

Repeat to add all the top roof pieces ("e") onto the bottom roof pieces ("d").

White lace piece featuring a repeating pattern of five birdcages with intricate scroll details, laid flat on a wooden surface.

Now that those pieces are connected, line up the side edges of the roof pieces that are adjacent to each other. Make sure the wrong sides are together, and hand sew along the edges.

Hand holding white lace fabric shaped like a birdcage with fine grid patterns and decorative swirls, a needle threaded with white thread is inserted in the lace.

Repeat to sew all roof pieces together that are side by side. Make sure to leave the final roof sides open for now, and not sew the roof completely shut.

White lace birdcage shaped 3D embroidery with intricate openwork and floral patterns, placed on a dark wooden surface.

Once the roof pieces are sewn together, the lace will begin to curve and take shape. Now it is time to sew the roof completely shut. To do this, sew from the top of the roof down until you get to the bottom edge of the top door frame (top "b" piece). The door frame ("b") will be sewn to the adjacent side piece ("a"). Do not sew the door or bottom door frame to the side piece.

White 3D lace birdcage held in a hand, showing intricate openwork with grid and swirl patterns on a wooden surface background. The birdcage door is open.

Turn the birdcage upside down, so you can look into it though the bottom. Using a hot glue gun, glue the "strings" of the sewn lace swing (piece "g") to the roof of the inner roof of the birdcage. Hold the swing in place until the glue dries for best results.

White lace embroidery shaped into a 3D birdcage sits on a wooden surface, with a blue hot glue gun partially visible underneath it.

Once the swing is securely in place, it's time to put on the base of the birdcage (labeled with a "f"). Match one edge of the base piece ("f") to the bottom edge of the bottom door frame ("b"). Make sure the wrong sides are touching, and hand sew the pieces together along the bottom edge.

Hand holding a partially embroidered white lace piece with needle and thread, stitching it near a white lace birdcage model on a dark wooden surface.

Then repeat to sew all the sides of the base piece ("f") to the bottom edge of each side piece ("a"). Make sure to hand sew the pieces with wrong sides together.

Hand holding a delicate white lace 3D birdcage embroidery with swirling patterns, a needle threaded with white thread is attached to the fabric.

Finally, sew the remaining side of the bottom door frame (bottom "d" piece) to the side piece next to it ("a") with wrong sides together. Do not sew the door to this side piece or the door frames to allow it to open and close freely.

Close-up of a hand holding a white lace birdcage piece with a needle and thread partially sewn into the fabric, shown against a dark background.

To make a hanger, simply cut 12" of ribbon, and thread it through two of the loops found on top of the top roof pieces ("e"). Once threaded through the holes in the lace, tie the ribbon into a loop to create a hanger.

Close-up of a hand holding a white lace birdcage ornament with a white ribbon loop, against a dark wooden background.