Freestanding Embroidery with Battenburg Lace

Combine the richness of embroidery with the softness of Battenburg lace! These specially digitized designs combine stitching styles to create a unique freestanding decoration. The steps are similar to stitching any lace, but with a few more color changes -- we'll show you how!

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

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.

Lace is seen from both sides, so wind a bobbin with the same thread that you're using in the needle. In this tutorial we are using both cotton and rayon thread.

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

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.

Load the file onto your machine, attach the hoop and embroider the design. The Battenburg lace portion will sew first; be sure to match the bobbin with the same cotton thread as the top thread.

Once the Battenburg lace has finished sewing, switch the bobbin and top thread, according to the color change sheet. Repeat this step for every color change.

After embroidering, remove the excess stabilizer.

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

Air dry the lace, then press using a pressing cloth to finish the doily.