Freestanding lace designs have been specially digitized for water-soluble stabilizer. After the stabilizer is removed, beautiful lace remains behind.

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.

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

Freestanding lace is seen from both sides, so wind a bobbin with the same cotton 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 onto the machine, and load the lace embroidery file. Embroider the design.

After the embroidery has finished, unhoop the stabilizer and lace. Then trim away the excess stabilizer from around the lace design.

The stabilizer's packaging should give instructions for removing or dissolving the remaining stabilizer. For Vilene, simply soak the lace piece in water for a few moments.

Allow the lace to air dry, and then press the lace piece with a pressing cloth on top.

If using the larger 5x7 size, repeat the previous steps to embroider and prepare a total of three copies of the lace piece.

If using the smaller 4x4 size, repeat the previous steps to embroider and prepare a total of six copies of the lace piece. Then group the smaller pieces into pairs. The smaller pieces are literally just the larger piece split in half.

If using the smaller size, overlap the two pieces by 1/4". Then sew a straight stitch over where they overlap to hold the two pieces together. Now those two pieces are exactly the same size as one large piece. Repeat to make three pairs of two small pieces.

Lay the hand towel on the table with the right side facing up. Using a ruler, find the center of the short side and mark it with an air-erase marker.

Then match up the center of the first lace piece with the marked center point, and lay the lace piece on top of the towel, overlapping the lace as much as desired. Pin the lace piece in place.

Next, take the other two lace pieces, and overlap them by 1/4" on either side of the first lace piece.

Overlapping the lace pieces by 1/4" will help the lace appear seamless and all one long piece once sewn together.

On a sewing machine, sew a straight stitch along the top edges of all the lace pieces to adhere them to the towel. Sewing directly over where there are already horizontal lines in the lace will help to hide the straight stitch and make the lace look seamlessly connected to the towel. Then sew a straight stitch over overe the pieces overlap to adhere them together.

The towel can be left open, or even folded along where the lace pieces meet for a beautful and delicate look.