Lace Tutorials

Lace Insertion

 

First thing you may want to do is load some extra bobbins. Just in these two pieces of insertion, I used 2 1/2 bobbins. Since my lace is white and the batiste is very light pink; I just used white thread.

I am following the same instructions I learned from Australian Smocking and Embroidery magazine.

 

 

Step 1: For this step match your thread color to your lace. Straight stitch in the headers on the edges of the lace. (If you were to pull a thread, it will gather.) If you want, you can hand baste the lace to the fabric. Since I really don't like basting, I just stitched my lace directly to the fabric. Stitch slowly. If you miss a tiny bit of stitching the lace, it's okay, you will be catching the edge later.

 

 

Here's the back of the skirt.

 

 

Step 2: Very carefully, cut through the fabric on the back of the lace. If you have those duck-bill type of scissors, you can use those. I just used the blunt edge on my scissors between the lace and the fabric.

 

 

Step 3: Next go to the ironing board. Since I'm pressing two sections at once, I pinned at intervals and steamed the now opened edges. If your lace is wider you won't have to do the pinning. I used 1/2" wide lace.

 

 

Step 4: Back to the sewing machine. Set the machine for a short, narrow zigzag. On mine I used 2.0 width and 1.0 length. You may have to play with the setting on yours to get the right stitch combo. Stitch over the fold and the header where you did a straight stitch.

 

 

Step 5: Lastly you will trim away the raw folded back fabric. Just be careful to not snip your lace or stitching.

 

 

Here's the finished insertion. Wasn't that super easy?!