| Please read the General Guidelines and Step-by-Step Guide to Embroidering
Crochet-Style
Free-Standing Lace first |
Assembling crochet-style FSL Designs into a Project
For this example, we used designs from the Star
Crochet FSL Set
|
| It's possible to assemble crochet lace in two ways - either to dissolve
the stabilizer first and stitch the parts together next, or to stitch the
parts together first and dissolve the stabilizer next. Both ways have their
pros and cons. |
| Please try them both and choose which works better for you. |
| Note: Never use hot water - cotton threads shrink substantially and
colors may run in hot water. Vilene dissolves well in slightly warm
water. If you need very soft lace, leave it in the bowl of warm water for
an hour, or even longer, and change the water several times. If you need
stiffer lace, rinse the stabilizer by dipping your embroidery in the warm
water for several moments. |
| After dissolving the stabilizer, spread the embroidery flat on an even
surface and leave to air dry. Press with steam. |
| If you prefer to stitch first, and to dissolve later, follow the steps
below. |
| Step One: Trim the Vilene to about 3/4" from the edge of the
design. |
|
| Step Two: Take the first design and lay it flat. Take the second
design and fold the Vilene back along the edge of the design. |
|
| Now align the edges of the designs. Use pins to fix them in place,
if you like. |
 |
| Step Three: Choose the zig-zag stitch on your machine. Place
the designs under the presser foot. Using the same thread as in the embroidered
designs both for the needle and for the bobbin, stitch, making sure that
the stitches catch both patterns. |
|
| Stitch other patterns together in the same way. |
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Making lace inserts and attaching lace to fabric:
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| If you dissolved the stabilizer, press the lace with steam and
place it where you would like to have your insert. Pin. Then using a dense
zigzag, and the same thread with which you embroidered the lace, stitch
the design to the fabric
If you did not dissolve the stabilizer, fold back the Vilene on the
design and pin in place. Then, using a dense zig-zag, stitch the design
to the fabric. Choose the same thread as the one you used for the design. |
|
| After you attach all the FSL to your working piece, place it into a
bowl of warm water to dissolve the stabilizer, if you have not already
done so. Change the water several times. Lay the project flat, spread it
evenly, take up the excess water with a cloth (towel) and leave to air
dry. Press with steam. |
| Turn the working piece to the wrong side and, using very sharp small
scissors, cut away the fabric under the insert. The wrong side shoud look
like the picture below: |
|
| If you're attaching crochet-style FSL to the edge of the fabric, draw
lines about 3/4" from the edges with removable fabric marker. |
|
Folding back the Vilene, place the designs along the marked line, attaching
with pins, if necessary. Then, using a dense zig-zag, stitch the design
to the fabric. Choose the same thread which you used for the design.
If the stabilizer is already dissolved, just attach the lace along
the marked lines using zig-zag. |
|
Place the assembled project into a bowl of warm water to dissolve the
stabilizer. Change the water several times. Lay the project flat, spread
it evenly, take up the excess water with a cloth (towel) and leave to air
dry.
Turn the working piece to the wrong side and, using very sharp small
scissors, cut away the excess fabric under the lace. Press with steam. |
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