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Lace Towel Topper

Lace Towel Topper

Bring a chic, classy look to kitchen decor with freestanding lace towel toppers! Stitch this design in two pieces, then assemble and add a beautiful button. Either stitch the towel directly to the topper, or use Velcro to make it detachable -- the choice is yours!

Supplies & Materials:

Project Materials
- Heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer (we prefer Sulky Ultra Solvy or Vilene)
- Dish towel (ours is 20" wide by 27.5" high)
- 3/4" button
- Needle & thread for hand sewing
- 3/4" wide sew-on Velcro and 6" wide by 1" high piece of felt (optional - for detachable topper)

The designs used in this tutorial include: 

-  X14405, Poinsettia Towel Topper (Lace)

Special notes:
After embroidering the lace topper, you can either sew it directly onto the towel, or you can make it detachable by adding strips of Velcro. That way, the towel can be removed to be washed.

Gather Materials:

Freestanding lace designs have been specially digitized for water-soluble stabilizer. After the stabilizer is removed, beautiful lace remains behind.

When you download the design, you will find a total of two files for the top and bottom portions of the topper.

White lace towel topper with floral and swirl patterns, including a large central flower and symmetrical leaf shapes on a dark red background.

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 fabric sheets on a wooden surface; the left sheet is white and opaque, the right sheet is clear and crinkled plastic.

Freestanding lace is seen from both sides, so wind a bobbin with the same thread that you're using in the needle.


We are embroidering the topper with 30 weight cotton thread which gives the lace a soft, yet hearty look and feel. You can also use 40 weight rayon or polyester thread.

Close-up of a hand holding a small white bobbin with white thread wound around it, against a blurred white background.

Start Embroidering:

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

Embroidery hoop with fabric and stabilizer secured inside, placed on a wooden surface, showing setup for machine embroidery project.

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

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a white lace fabric with a swirling floral pattern held in place by an embroidery hoop on a white surface.

After embroidering, trim away the excess stabilizer.

White lace fabric with a floral and swirl pattern is being trimmed with orange-handled scissors on a dark wooden surface.

Then, hoop another piece of stabilizer, load file "b", and embroider the design. Trim away the excess stabilizer.

Scissors cutting white lace fabric with floral and paisley patterns on a dark wooden surface, surrounded by translucent stabilizer sheets.

The stabilizer's packaging should give instructions for removing the excess. For Vilene, soak the lace pieces for a few moments. Allow the lace to air dry, then press with a pressing cloth on top.

Hand holding a piece of white lace fabric with an intricate floral and geometric pattern over a textured round silver plate on a wooden surface.

Next, lay the lace flat with the right side of the bottom piece facing right side up and the top piece right side facing down. Align the pieces together as shown (do not overlap the pieces).

Hand holding a white lace towel topper with a large flower design and intricate leaf-like patterns on a wooden surface.

Using the same thread in the needle and bobbin, sew the pieces together with a zigzag stitch.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a white lace fabric with intricate floral and geometric patterns, focused on the presser foot and needle area.

Sew a 3/4" button in the center of the flower on the bottom portion of the topper.

Close-up of a hand holding a needle with red thread, sewing through a white lace fabric piece with floral pattern and a red button sewn in the center, on a wooden surface.

Next, fold the dish towel together lengthwise (short ends aligned together) and cut the towel in half along the fold. Fold the raw edge of one of the towel pieces in 1/4" and then again 1/4", press with an iron, and sew a 1/8" seam along the folded edge.

Close-up of a hand lifting the hem of a cream-colored fabric with three parallel gray stripes on one side, placed on a wooden surface.

Lay the towel flat with the wrong side facing up. Fold the long sides of the towel in to meet in the center.

Close-up of a hand folding the corner of a beige linen towel with embroidered vertical stripes, placed on a wooden surface.

Turn the towel over to the right side and align the towel topper with the top edge of the towel with the topper extending one inch over the towel. Pin in place.

White lace towel topper with a large floral pattern and a central red button, placed on a gray-striped towel on a dark wooden surface.

Sew a seam over the lace along the top edge of the towel, along each side of the lace that extends over the towel, and along the bottom edge of the lace just above the bottom satin stitch border - stitching through all the layers of the towel.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching white lace fabric onto a beige and white striped towel, showing the presser foot and needle in action.

Another option is to add strips of Velcro to the topper and the towel to make the towel detachable for washing.

Cut a piece of felt (match the color of the felt to the color of the towel) to 6" wide by 1" high. Also, cut a strip of Velcro to 6" long (the loop side).

Two rectangular strips of fabric, one white and one light gray, placed side by side on a dark wooden surface.

Place the Velcro on top of the felt piece and sew it in place by stitching along the edges of the Velcro.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a folded strip of light gray fabric with a white rectangular felt strip layered inside, on a white machine surface.

Next, lay the towel topper flat with the wrong side facing up. Align the felt/Velcro strip along the bottom edge of the topper with the Velcro side facing up. Pin in place and sew a seam along the outer edges of the felt.

White lace towel topper with floral and swirl cutout patterns, laid flat on dark wood surface, hand holding one end near white hook-and-loop closure strip with yellow-headed pin.

Prepare the towel half and fold it as instructed earlier. Lay the towel flat with the right side facing up. Cut a 6" strip of Velcro (the hook side) and place it along the top edge of the towel about 1/4" from the top edge, pin in place, and sew a seam along the edges of the Velcro through all layers of the towel.

Close-up of a white towel with gray stripes being held by a hand; a white fabric band is pinned to the towel edge with two yellow-headed pins on a dark wood surface.

Align the Velcro on the bottom edge of the towel topper with the Velcro on the top edge of the towel and press in place. The towel topper is now ready to be hung!

Close-up of a white lace towel topper with intricate floral lace design and a red button at the center, placed on a dark wooden surface, hand touching the fabric edge.