Embroidery Library Urban Threads The Study

💎 Buy 4+ Hidden Gems, Save 65% 💎

SHOP NOW

🎃 Spooktacular Savings on Halloween Designs - 60% Off!

Classic Bow (Lace)

Classic Bow (Lace)

Craft the perfect fashion accessory for hair barrettes, dog collars, purse embellishments, and more with this adorable freestanding lace bow. Simply stitch each piece separately using water-soluble stabilizer before hand sewing to assemble. Follow these step-by-step instructions to stitch your own!

Supplies & Materials:

Project Materials or Supplies
- Water-soluble stabilizer (Vilene or Sulky Ultra Solvy)
- Embroidery Thread
- Scissors
- Hand sewing needle
- Small hair clip

The designs used in this tutorial include: 

- X15180, Lovely Bow (Lace)

Gather Materials:

Freestanding lace designs have been specially digitized for water-soluble stabilizer. After the stabilizer is removed, beautiful embroidery remains. When you download this design, you will find a total of 3 files. These files contain all of the pieces for the classic lace bow.

Light pink lace bow with layered design and stitched edges, resting on a dark gray fabric background.

There are a couple of different kinds of water-soluble stabilizer. One is clear and plastic -- 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 square fabric swatches are laid on a dark gray background. The left swatch is clear, smooth plastic or vinyl, and the right swatch is white, soft, and fibrous, resembling felt or fleece. Both squares are evenly cut and of similar size.

Start Embroidering:

As the freestanding lace will be seen from both sides, wind a bobbin with the same thread that is being used in the top needle.

Large spool and small bobbin of light pink shiny thread placed on a textured dark gray fabric background.

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

Rectangular embroidery hoop with white stabilizer fabric stretched inside, set against a dark gray background.

Attach the hoop to the machine, and load file "a." Embroider the first piece using a matching bobbin.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a delicate, pale pink lace bow pattern on a white fabric background. The lace features fine details and a looped shape.

After embroidering, trim away the excess stabilizer.

White and pink lace fabric piece cut into a curved, symmetrical shape on gray stabilizer fabric with white markings, next to gray-handled scissors on dark surface.

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

Hand holding a pink and white lace item shaped like a bow over a clear glass bowl with circular ridges, against a gray background.

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

Close-up of a blue and black iron pressing a folded white fabric corner with a pink lace bow detail on a gray patterned textile underneath.

Repeat the steps above to embroider the rest of the lace pieces. Each of the files ("a," "b," & "c") only need to be sewn out once.

Three pale pink lace pieces in different shapes (two bowtie-like shapes and one small rectangle) on a dark gray fabric background.

To make the loops of the bow, start by taking the main section of the bow (file "a"), and fold one side over to the center. Make sure the wrong side of the lace is on the inside of the loop.


Hand holding a delicate pale pink lace bow with open center and diamond-shaped mesh patterns, against a dark gray textured background.

Hand sew the end of first loop in place at the center of the bow.

Delicate pink lace bow with openwork detail, threaded with a needle and light purple thread, placed on a dark gray fabric background.

Repeat to fold the other side to create the second loop. The two ends should meet at the center, and the right side of the lace should be facing out. Sew the end of the second loop down beside the first.

Pale pink lace bow with scalloped edges on dark gray fabric. A silver sewing needle with gray thread pierces the bow's center.

Now, take the tails piece (file "b") and center it on the backside of the main bow piece. The right side of the tails piece should be against the back of the bow piece so that it covers the previously stitched area.


Stitch the tails piece and the bow piece together, hand sewing a line through the center.

Close-up of a pale pink lace bow with a sewing needle threaded with white thread inserted through its center, set against a dark gray fabric background.

Next, take the center band of the bow (file "c") and center one short end along the back of the tails piece. The wrong side of the band should be against the tails piece. Once placed, hand sew the end in place.

Pale pink lace bow with geometric patterns is being sewn with a needle and thread on a dark gray fabric background.

After one end of the center band is sewn down, wrap the band completely around the bow.


If you are creating a barrette or hair clip, you will want to slide the band through the chosen hair clip at this time.

Hand holding a pink lace bow hair clip with detailed embroidery and a metal alligator clip on a dark gray fabric background.

Next, match the end of the band with the end that was previously sewn down. Hand sew the end of the band to the band only. Do not sew it to the tails of the bow. This will provide room for the hair clip to move.


Once sewn, position the clip on the back of the bow as desired.


To prevent the hair clip from moving around, either glue it in place or hand sew the center band to the tails on either side of the clip so it cannot slide.

Close-up of a light pink lace bow with scalloped edges, a needle threaded with gray thread inserted through its center, resting on a dark gray fabric background.