Battenburg Lace Pillow

Home decor fabric is the perfect backdrop for the lovely Battenburg lace embellishments in this pillow project. The fabric is cut into graceful, arcing shapes to mimic the shape of the lace designs. Follow these instructions to learn how to embroider these Battenburg lace shapes and make this elegant pillow.

Battenburg lace designs are embroidered onto water-soluble stabilizer. When the stabilizer is soaked away, beautiful lace  remains behind.

Those lace pieces can be used to embellish garments and home decor items, and bring unique texture and dimension.

Begin by choosing the lace designs that you'd like to use with your pillow.

Battenburg lace is digitized for  30-35 weight cotton thread. This thread brings a classic, hearty, and traditional look to the lace pieces.

30-35 weight cotton thread is found under different names, such as mercerized cotton or
all-purpose cotton.

You will use the same thread in both the top and the bobbin. Wind a bobbin with the cotton thread..

Two kinds of water-soluble stabilizer can be used when embroidering freestanding lace. One is clear and plastic-like, known as Sulky Ultra Solvy.

The other is soft and fibrous, called Vilene. Both kinds will work very well.

Hoop a piece of water-soluble stabilizer, and embroider the fan design.

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.

At each color stop, change the bobbin to match the top thread.

Trim the excess stabilizer away. Then, soak the pieces in water to remove the remaining stabilizer.

Check your stabilizer's package instructions to see how long to soak the stabilizer. For Vilene, the stabilizer is dissolved in a few moments.

Blot, and allow to air-dry. When the piece is completely dry, press with an iron. Use a pressing cloth to prevent scorching.

After the lace designs are ready, prepare the pattern pieces for the front panel of the pillow.

On a large piece of paper or tag board, draw a 19" x 19" square.

Place the end of the ruler at the bottom left corner. Align the edge with the left side of the paper.

Hold the straight edge in place, and place a pen at the 12" mark.

Draw a curved line from the left side to the bottom edge by pivoting the straight edge

Draw another curved line at the top right corner.

Place the pen at the 9" mark and pivot the ruler. Cut out the shapes.

Pin the pattern pieces to one of the home decor fabrics that you'll be using for the front of the pillow.

Trace the shapes along the straight edges and measure and make marks 1/2" out along each curved edge. This adds a seam allowance.

Draw lines connecting the marks along the curved edges. Remove the patterns and cut out the shapes.

In this example, two different fabrics are used. One is for the outer corner pieces, and one of the inner piece.

To assemble the pieces, align the center of the curved edges of the corner pieces with the center of the curved edges of the inner piece. Pin in place at the center only.

Sew a 1/2" seam starting at the center and ending at the edge of the fabric, aligning the fabric as you sew. Sew the other side by starting at the center and ending at the edge of the fabric.

Snip the seam allowances about every 1/2". This allows the curved seam to lay flat.

Press the back seams open with an iron.

Lay the front panel flat with the right side facing up. Using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, measure and mark one inch in along the entire outer edge of the front panel. 

Draw lines connecting the marks. Arrange the lace on the front panel, keeping the outer edges of the lace inside the lines you just drew. Pin the lace in place.

Stitch a 1/4" seam, just inside of the second color detail, along the outer edges of each lace piece.

Use the same cotton thread in your needle as you used to embroider the lace pieces.

To prepare the back panel, cut a piece of home decor fabric 19" x 19".

Add the zipper by aligning it on the top of the back panel fabric along the bottom edge, right sides together.

Pin in place. Using a zipper foot, sew a seam along the bottom edge of the zipper as close to the zipper as you can.

Lay the front panel flat with the right side facing up. Align the back panel on top, right sides together. Align the open edge of the zipper with the front panel fabric, right sides together, pin in place, and sew a seam along the open edge of the zipper just as you did before. 

Unzip the zipper, align the front and back panels together, right sides together, and sew a 1/2" seam along the side and top edges only. Turn the fabric right side out; the outer shell portion is now complete.

To prepare the lining, cut two pieces of quilter's cotton 19" x 19". On each piece, fold one of the edges over 1/2" to the wrong side and press. 

Sew a 1/4" seam along the folded edges. Align the pieces together, right sides together, pin in place, and sew a 1/2" seam along the side and top edges only.

Insert the lining inside the outer shell, wrong sides together, and align the folded edges of the lining over the raw edges of the zipper, with the folded edges about 1/4" from the outer edge of the teeth of the zipper. Pin in place and sew a 1/8" seam along the folded edges of the lining.

Insert the pillow form and you're finished!

Use this pillow to show off your favorite Battenburg lace designs, and to add a chic, stylish look to your home decor.