A lacy touch of spring for your table!
Just the right accent to dress up a spring luncheon for the ladies. Oh, Sew Simple! These are a cinch to put together, and they are such a delight that everyone will want to know how you thought up such a nifty idea.
Supplies
Supplies needed:
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The 3 pieces of any Embroidery Library 3-D flower design, sewn out according to the Freestanding Lace Instructions
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12 inches of elastic cording
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1 decorative button of your choice. It should be 1/2- to 3/4-inch in diameter.
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A dinner napkin
Embroidery Design from Embroidery Library:
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.
Designs Used
Instructions:
Soak the lace pieces in warm water for about 15 minutes to remove most, but not all, of the stabilizer. You want them to retain some stiffness.
Blot on a paper towel to remove most of the water.
Shape the petals as you desire and allow the pieces to dry completely.
Arrange the pieces with the largest on the bottom, the medium next then the smallest. Arrange so that they are centered as you like. Place the button in the center, and stitch through all the layers to secure them all together.
Tie the ends of the elastic together to form a loop. Attach the loop securely to the back of the lace flower.
Place the flower on top of a rolled napkin, and stretch the elastic around the napkin to fasten.
