How to Machine Embroider Crocheted Lace Edging

Make crochet lace edging with your embroidery machine for necklines and cuffs.

Creating freestanding lace edging by hand is a time-consuming yet rewarding craft. The beauty of this delicate technique compensates for the effort. Craft enthusiasts wanting to duplicate the look can use home embroidery machines with compatible lace edging patterns or design an original shape with embroidery software programs. Inject a crochet-like appearance to the lace by incorporating extra-fine crochet thread as part of the design. One of the key factors required to develop this look is the stabilizer sheet type and weight as well as incorporating fine fabric to support the stitches.

Things You'll Need

• Lace edging pattern
• Embroidery software program
• Retail lace edging pattern (optional)
• Reusable embroidery card
• Reader/writer box
• Personal computer
• Embroidery machine
• Extra fine crochet thread
• Bobbins
• Heavyweight water-soluble stabilizer sheet
• Tulle
• Fabric scissors
• Temporary fabric adhesive
• Lightweight water-soluble stabilizer sheet
• Hand embroidery needle

Instructions

Preparing the Lace Edging Pattern

1. Draw the lace edging pattern in the desired width and height in your embroidery software program. As an alternative, use compatible retail lace edging patterns for your machine model. Save the edging design on a separate computer file.

2. Insert a reusable embroidery card into the reader/writer box connected to your personal computer and write the edging pattern design. If you are working with an existing retail pattern, you most likely have a nonerasable embroidery card or flash drive compatible with your machine model.

3. Insert the program into the designated slot in your embroidery machine to stitch out the lace edging in a later step.

4. Wind extra-fine crochet thread in your bobbins, using the desired colors for your design. If you are making high-thread-count lace edging, wind several bobbins for each required color. Use the same color for the top thread needles.

5. Refer to your embroidery machine’s manual for the recommended top thread tension and adjust it.

Making the Crochet Lace Edging

1. Position a piece of heavyweight water-soluble stabilizer sheet 4 to 5 inches larger in width and height than your lace edging pattern design. This technique has a tendency to shrink the stabilizer sheet size as the high stitch count pierces the surface and stitches.

2. Cut a piece of lightweight tulle with sharp fabric scissors in the same size as the previous step. Match the tulle color with your crochet thread color.

3. Spray one side of the tulle with temporary fabric adhesive and place it over the heavyweight stabilizer sheet.

4. Spray the backside of a separate lightweight water-soluble stabilizer sheet and position it over the tulle, which becomes sandwiched between the two sheets. The two sheets are necessary to support high stitch counts as well as keep fine lace stitches intact for delicate lace edging patterns.

5. Insert the “tulle sandwich” into your machine and lower the machine’s top hoop frame attachment over the design, referred to as floating the design. If you have set your machine to stitch from the center out, center the design within the frame's parameters. If your machine includes a positioning grid, use it as a guide prior to stitching.

6. Stitch out the edging. If you are making large section of continuous lace edging and your machine can only stitch out specific dimensions, repeat this section, Steps 1 through 6, to stitch separate sections. Join the separate sections by hand with matching crochet thread and hand-embroidery needle.

7. Remove the lace from the machine. Rinse it in cold water several times until the stabilizer sheet dissolves, revealing the crochet lace edging design. Flat dry the lace edging.

References

• Threads Magazine: Machine-Embroider Allover Lace
• “Ultimate Crochet Bible: A Complete Reference with Step-by-Step Techniques”; Jane Crowfoot; 2010