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 seven files which contain all of the pieces of the birdcage. 

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.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load file "a". 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. Sew a total of 4 of piece "a," 2 of piece "b," 5 of pieces "d" and "e," and 1 of pieces "c," "f," and "g."

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

Lay the sides out on the table. Then take the door (piece "c"), and the two door frame pieces (labeled with a "b"), and line them up along the side piece ("a") that is all the way on the right. Place the door ("c") between the two door frame pieces ("b"). Make sure all the right sides of the lace are facing up.

With wrong sides together, sew the door ("C) and door frame pieces ("b") to the side piece ("a"). Make sure not to sew the door to the door frame. This will allow the door to be opened and closed once the birdcage is completed.

Next, take one of the bottom roof pieces (labeled with a "d"). 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 bottom roof pieces ("d") on top of the all the side pieces ("a"). Also add one on top of the top door frame ("b").

Then hand sew a top roof piece ("e") on top of a bottom roof piece ("d"). This time make sure the right sides are together when hand sewing along the straight edge. This can also be sewn on the machine.

Repeat to add all the top roof pieces ("e") onto the bottom roof pieces ("d").

Now that those pieces are connected, line up the side edges of the roof pieces that are adjacent to each other. Make sure the wrong sides are together, and hand sew along the edges.

Repeat to sew all roof pieces together that are side by side. Make sure to leave the final roof sides open for now, and not sew the roof completely shut.

Once the roof pieces are sewn together, the lace will begin to curve and take shape. Now it is time to sew the roof completely shut. To do this, sew from the top of the roof down until you get to the bottom edge of the top door frame (top "b" piece). The door frame ("b") will be sewn to the adjacent side piece ("a"). Do not sew the door or bottom door frame to the side piece.

Turn the birdcage upside down, so you can look into it though the bottom. Using a hot glue gun, glue the "strings" of the sewn lace swing (piece "g") to the roof of the inner roof of the birdcage. Hold the swing in place until the glue dries for best results.

Once the swing is securely in place, it's time to put on the base of the birdcage (labeled with a "f"). Match one edge of the base piece ("f") to the bottom edge of the bottom door frame ("b"). Make sure the wrong sides are touching, and hand sew the pieces together along the bottom edge.

Then repeat to sew all the sides of the base piece ("f") to the bottom edge of each side piece ("a"). Make sure to hand sew the pieces with wrong sides together.

Finally, sew the remaining side of the bottom door frame (bottom "d" piece) to the side piece next to it ("a") with wrong sides together. Do not sew the door to this side piece or the door frames to allow it to open and close freely.

To make a hanger, simply cut 12" of ribbon, and thread it through two of the loops found on top of the top roof pieces ("e"). Once threaded through the holes in the lace, tie the ribbon into a loop to create a hanger.