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Winged Scissors (Lace)

Winged Scissors (Lace)

Bring some sparkle to your decor with these freestanding lace scissors! What they lack in functionality, they make up for in charm. Seed beads and hand-stitching make a pretty, tiny working hinge. Follow along below to make your own!

Supplies & Materials:

Project Needs & Notes:
- Heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer
- Beading needle
- Two seed beads (size 8, 9, or 10)

Designs featured in this tutorial include:
-  X14015, Winged Scissors (Lace) 

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 embroidery files.

Two silver-colored scissors shaped and textured like bird wings, lying on a dark wood surface, with loops for handles and pointed blades.

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 sheets of stabilizer on a wood surface, one white opaque and textured, the other clear and crinkled, overlapping slightly.

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 filled with silver thread seated in its holder on a white machine surface with part of a knob and metal components visible in the background.

Start Embroidering:

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

Embroidery hoop attached to an embroidery machine with a piece of fabric secured tightly inside, placed on a wood-grain surface.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load file "a". In this example, metallic embroidery thread was used. You can also use 30 weight cotton or 40 weight rayon for most freestanding lace designs. Embroider the design.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching a winged scissor design in silver thread on white mesh fabric held in a hoop. The machine foot and needle are visible.

After embroidering, trim away the excess stabilizer.

Orange-handled scissors rest on a dark wood surface. Attached to one blade is a delicate lace piece embroidered with a silver outline of a pair of scissors.

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

Hand holding gray fabric clip with embroidered silver scissors design, positioned over a large, round metal bowl with concentric ridges.

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

Close-up of an iron pressing a white cloth with a silver metallic embroidered scissor motif partially visible beneath the hem on a turquoise surface.

Repeat the steps above to embroider the second lace piece (labeled with a "b").

Two small scissors shaped like birds with pointed beaks, covered entirely in white lace, placed on a dark wooden surface.

Lay the pieces down on the table with the front piece ("a") on top of the back piece ("b"). Make sure the right side of the lace is facing up for both pieces.


Embroidered silver scissors shaped like a bird with outstretched wings, crafted with detailed stitching on a dark wood background.

Thread a thin beading needle with the same thread as used in the embroider, and tie a knot to close the two loose ends. Then slide the needle through one of the beads, but do not pull the thread all the way through. Instead, thread the needle through the loop of the sting made by the knot, and pull it tight. This should hold the bead on the end of the string.

Close-up of a sewing needle threaded with light gray thread, placed on a wooden surface. The thread forms a loop and a small knot near the needle eye.

Now that the bead is attached to the thread, run the needle through the eye holes of both pieces until the bead rests against one side. Then take the second bead and add it onto the string so it rests against the opposite side.

Repeat to thread the needle back through the eye holes and then through the first bead again. Keep the string pulled very tight for best results. Then continue to go back and forth through the eye holes and opposite beads until the two pieces are securely held together.

Sew once through the back side of the back piece, and tie off the thread once secured.

Close-up of a hand holding delicate lacework with silver thread, a needle, and two small clear beads on a dark wood surface background.

Sewing through the eye holes instead of sewing the two pieces together directly allows the lace pieces to move like a real pair of scissors.

Hand holding a small, intricately embroidered silver lace object shaped like scissors with detailed loops and blades, against a dark wooden background.