Freestanding Embroidery

Set your creativity free with this unique new embroidery style! Special designs are expertly digitized to hold together on their own, without fabric, to create beautiful freestanding shapes. Follow along to learn how to stitch these incredible designs!

To create your freestanding embroidery, you'll need:

• Freestanding embroidery design
• Heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer (such as Vilene or Sulky Ultra Solvy)
• 40 wt. rayon thread for the embroidery
• 75/11 sharp sewing needle

Freestanding embroidery designs have been digitized for heavy duty water-soluble stabilizer, and after the stabilizer is removes, only beautiful lace remains. There are a few different kinds of water-soluble stabilizer available, and two good choices are Vilene or Solvy Ultra Solvy.

Using a 75/11 sharp sewing needle instead of a standard embroidery needle can also be helpful, because it makes smaller holes in the stabilizer and prevents the lace from being "cut out" as it sews.

As the lace orchid will be seen from both sides, wind a bobbin for every thread color used in the design

Then hoop the water soluble stabilizer firmly, making sure it is tight and without wrinkles or puckers.

Load the embroidery design onto the machine, and place the first thread color and matching bobbin into the machine. Then begin to embroider the design.

After the first color is finished embroidering, change the bobbin out to match the next thread color.

Continue to embroider the design. Watch the color change sheet, and stop to match the bobbin color to every thread color used in the top needle.

Once the embroidery is finished, trim away the extra stabilizer from around the design.

Follow the instructions on the water-soluble stabilizer's packaging to remove the rest. For Vilene, simply soak the lace piece in water for a few moments.

Allow the lace piece to air dry, and then press it flat with an iron.

If there are multiple lace pieces in the design, repeat the steps to embroider and finish each one.