Sadia’s Blog

One of the hardest things after stitching freestanding laces is how to attach it to the fabric for an edge. Having just released Kanta Lace 7 which has a very slim piece of freestanding lace (which can be used as an edge) the first question that was asked was how does one attach it to the fabric as an edge so both sides look good.

One of the conventional ways is to zigzag the lace to the fabric and trim away the excess fabric thus leaving a raw edge which may unravel and or fray when the item is washed. Personally I do not like raw edges in anything. With that in mind I had already been working on a large circular buffet runner which definitely would not have worked out with raw edges on the backside as the piece would definitely be washed time and again.

A very easy solution exists for using slim freestanding lace pieces and yet having a nice looking backside where no raw edges of fabric show up. Ofcourse my example is a bit hard. Not only was I working with a satin type fabric (very slippery) but also I decided to create a round large doily/runner with it. Anything round is a bit difficult as it tends to loose its shape very easily. I first joined all my laces into a round circle using the method of placing one stitched out motif next to the one in the process of stitching which made for perfect joints. Once the lace edging was the size I preferred, I went ahead and washed out the water soluble stabilizer. Normally I do not do this but as I was using a satin fabric, the water soluble stabilizer needed to be gone beforehand. I then placed my satin face up on the work table and very carefully pinned the lace to the satin making sure that I had at least an inch or more on all sides outside the lace edge.

Then I set up my machine for a narrow zigzag. A narrow zigzag in my opinion is a 1.5mm to 2.0mm setting. Anything more creates a much wider zigzag and can show very easily. If using one color for the edge lace then one can use the similar embroidery thread as the top thread to do the zigzag. Otherwise I normally use monofilament thread which can be purchased here: http://www.secretsof.com/content/1763  I used to purchase another brand called Stitch-Thru which is much finer than the monofilament at Secrets site but somehow at the moment I cannot find the source for it. Having pinned the lace edging to the fabric, I carefully zigzag as close to the inside edge  or the middle of the lace as possible making sure that I am catching the laces.

Once the lace is attached to the fabric, I trim away the excess making sure that at least 1/2″ or 1″ is left from the edge. This will be turned over to the back side and doubled on itsef and whip stitched which gives an excellent finishing look to the backside of the item. This is where the steam iron comes in really handy as you want to make the edge as crisp as possible. In my case as I was working with a round piece, I had to give dart like folds in the fabric and then steam. If I was using a fabric like cotton or linen, I might have been tempted to use a wing needle and a fagotting stitch to finish from the front therefore giving it an heirloom effect.

This method is excellent also when attaching lace as an insertion. Rather than cutting away close to the joint of the fabric and lace, trim  about half an inch away from that joint. Fold twice and whip stitch it down to give a finished look on the inside of the garment, item being embellished.