3D Fabric Flower

A 3D freestanding flower with a freestanding lace center provides the perfect opportunity for embellishing your projects. Our step-by-step tutorial will show you how to stitch and assemble this type of machine embroidery design.

When you download a 3D flower design you will find multiple file types. Most are freestanding fabric embroidery files, one is a freestanding lace file, and one is a dieline file that will be used to cut out a felt piece. The freestanding petal embroidery files have been specifically digitized to sew on fabric hooped with a piece of water-soluble stabilizer. After the excess fabric is cut away and the stabilizer is removed, beautiful embroidery and fabric remains.

There are a couple 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 work well. Vilene is used in this demonstration.

Use a size 11 or a 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.

Cut a piece of both fabric and water-soluble stabilizer that are larger than the embroidery hoop. Spray the water-soluble stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the piece of fabric on top of it. We are using organza for this demonstration, but lightweight cotton, or another fabric can be used as well.

Hoop the fabric and water-soluble stabilizer together firmly. Make sure it is nice and taut with no wrinkles.

As the petals will be seen from both sides, wind a bobbin to match every thread color used in the design.

Follow the color change sheet to embroider all of the organza petal files. If the design has more than one color, continue to match all bobbins and embroider the remaining details. For embroidering the lace center, see the lace steps below.

Once all the embroidery is finished, unhoop the fabric design, and carefully cut around the outer edges of the petal. Cut as close to the embroidery as you are comfortable, but make sure not to cut into the embroidery. If you accidentally cut the embroidery, using a small amount of clear fabric glue can help adhere the stitching in place so it does not unravel.