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 four files, which contain all of the pieces of the lantern.

There are a couple of different kinds of water-soluble stabilizer that we recommend. 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.

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

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

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.

After embroidering, trim away the excess stabilizer.

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.

Repeat the steps above to embroider the rest of the lace pieces. Remember to sew a total of 5 for the pieces "a", "b", and "c".

To begin assembling the lantern, take two of the side pieces (labeled with an "a"), and match up one long side 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.

Then repeat to sew all five 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.

Next, take one of the middle, trapezoid pieces ("b"). 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.

Repeat to add all of the middle pieces on top of the side pieces.

Then hand sew the top piece ("c") on top of the middle piece ("b"). This time make sure the right sides are together when matching up the straight edge. This can also be sewn on the machine.

Now that those pieces are connected, line up the edges of two middle and top pieces that are next to each other. Make sure the wrong sides are together, and hand sew along the edges.

Repeat to sew all of the middle pieces and the top pieces together, but make sure not to sew the final side of the lantern closed. This will make it easier to add the bottom piece on.

Match one edge of the base piece ("d") to the bottom edge of one side piece ("a"). Make sure the wrong sides are touching, and hand sew the pieces together along the edge.

Then repeat to sew all the sides of the base piece to the bottom edge of each side piece.

Finally, sew the remaining side, middle, and top edges together to finish and close the lantern. Make sure to hand stitch the pieces while the wrong sides are together.

A battery-powered tea light will fit right through the opening in the lace to add a fun lighting accent inside the lantern.