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 3 files. The files labeled with the letters "a" and "b" are the two sides of the unicorn. The file labeled with the letter "c" is the unicorn's belly.

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.

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.

Load the first file (piece "a") onto your machine. Use 40 weight rayon or polyester thread. You can also use 30 weight cotton or metallic thread 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 other two lace pieces ("b", "c"). After they are completed, starch the side and belly pieces flat before assembling to make them sturdier.

Take the two side pieces of the unicorn ("a", "b"), and hold them together, wrong sides together.

Starting at the underside of where the snout meets the neck, hand sew the two pieces together. Make sure to hold them securely while sewing so the two pieces stay lined up with each other. Use the same thread as used in the embroidery.

Continue sewing until you get to the point where the underside of the tail meets the body of the unicorn. Tie off, and thread the needle with a new length of thread.

Next take the belly piece ("c") and line one side up with the bottom edge of one side as shown. The thinner end of the belly piece goes by the head of the unicorn. Make sure the right side of the lace is on the outside of the unicorn, and hand sew starting from under the snout to the underside of the tail.

Then tie off and get another length of thread. Sew the opposite side of the belly to the other side piece. Again, make sure to start sewing from the snout and moving towards the back of the unicorn. Always going in this direction will help to make sure all the lace pieces line up well as you sew.

Finally, cut a 6" length of ribbon or twine, and thread it through the mane of the unicorn. Tie it into a loop, and use it as a hanger.