SAVE UP TO 80% ON DESIGN PACKS - Click the deals tab for details.
Delicate pieces of free-standing lace are stitched together to form an elegant doily!
Stitch in a variety of colors for a rainbow of vintage-style lace. Use to decorate side tables, dressers, and vanities. They're also beautiful as centerpieces to kitchen and dining room tables!
Supplies
Supplies Needed:
**Water-soluble stabilizer (WSS - we use Sulky Ultra Solvy)
**Paper towels
Designs used:
Daisies Doily (Lace) - Lg
Floral Doily (Lace) - Sm
We also recommend trying other combinations of the lace doily designs:
Daisies Doily (Lace) - Sm
Floral Doily (Lace) - Lg
Butterflies Doily (Lace) - Lg
Butterflies Doily (Lace) - Sm
Special Project Notes:
You can use either 40 weight rayon thread or 30 � 35 weight cotton thread.
I use Coats and Clark 30 and 35 weight cotton thread. It's labeled as Mercerized ELS Cotton for Machine Quilting & Crafts; Machine Quilting; or All Purpose. I find Coats and Clark cotton thread at JoAnn's. I've also used Madeira Cotona, which is a 30 weight cotton thread.
I use the 30 - 35 weight cotton thread both in the bobbin (I wind my own bobbins) and in the top (needle).
A note about water-soluble stabilizers and needles:
There are many, many different brands of water-soluble stabilizer available. Some are thin and light, some are fibrous, and some are thick and heavy. It can be confusing to pick the right one for your lace project.
We've digitized and stitched thousands of freestanding lace designs, and have consistently excellent results with Sulky Ultra Solvy (the heavy weight water-soluble stabilizer by Sulky) and Vilene, a fibrous water-soluble stabilizer. We order Vilene from www.pointetopointe.com.
Use a sharp needle (as opposed to an embroidery needle) when embroidering onto water-soluble stabilizer - especially if using the "plastic-looking" kind (such as Sulky Ultra Solvy). An embroidery needle has a larger point, which makes larger holes in the water-soluble stabilizer, leading to tearing and misalignment.
Finished Size:
The finished size of the large doily is 10 1/2 inches in diameter; the finished size
of the small doily is 7 1/2 inches in diameter.
Designs Used
When you download a lace doily design you'll find two files. The round center piece (labeled with the letter a) should be stitched once; the outer side (labeled with the letter b) should be stitched five times.
Hoop a piece of WSS. We use Sulky Ultra Solvy, but other brands work well, too. To see how different brands of WSS compare when stitching free-standing lace (and to see how important it is to hoop the WSS tightly), click here.
Because freestanding lace is two-sided, we'll use the same thread in the bobbin and the top.
Wind a bobbin with the same thread that you're using in the top. Freestanding lace designs have a high number of stitches, so you may need to wind several bobbins during this project.
Embroider the design. We use a size 11 sharp needle when stitching freestanding lace. A sharp needle has a very fine point, which makes the smallest perforations in the WSS.
Stitch one center piece, and five side pieces. After each design has finished, trim the excess WSS away. Don't soak any of the stabilizer away yet; we found that it's easier to stitch the pieces together with the WSS intact.
Now that all the pieces are embroidered, arrange them together in a doily shape.
With the right pieces facing up, align the curved edge of the side piece with the edge of the center piece. Arrange the pieces so the edges are adjacent, but not overlapping.
Using a zigzag stitch, sew the pieces together. Use the same color thread in the top and bottom to match the lace.
Align the second piece right next to the first piece. Use a zigzag stitch to attach that piece to the center. Repeat for the remaining pieces.
If you're working with the Floral or Butterfly doilies, the side pieces will need to be stitched together, too.
Sew the first side piece to the center piece as previously shown. Then, align the second side piece next to the first side piece.
Using a zigzag stitch, sew the second piece to the center piece and to the first side piece. Repeat this process with all five of the side pieces all the way around the center piece.
Soak the WSS away according to the package instructions. If using Sulky Ultra Solvy, soak in hot water from the tap for about 10 - 15 minutes.
Blot the lace with paper towels and allow it to dry. When it's dry, press with a warm iron.
Stitch these doilies in a variety of different colors! Choose pastels for spring, bold greens and reds for summer, and vibrant golds, oranges, and browns for autumn.
They're beautiful everywhere -- on table tops, dressers, night stands, and vanities.
Enjoy bringing the look of vintage lace to your home!
