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Leaves Cutwork Applique Lace

These are instructions on how to embroider the Leaves Cutwork Applique Lace. The design, as its name suggests, combines cutwork and applique techniques.

There are 2 designs for the large hoop. You can use them separately or combine them.

For mega hoop, the designs are combined in one. The design for mega hoop is slightly different than the designs for the large hoop.

You will need the base fabric (the fabric on which you will make the embroidery), pieces of fabric for the applique and a disappearing stabilizer. This can be either water-soluble mesh or heat-away stabilizer.

Note: the choice of embroidery threads and stabilizers depends on your base fabric. If you're working with cotton, organza or polyester, and you will be able to wash the item, water soluble mesh is very good for the project. Water-soluble mesh works better with polyester embroidery threads.

If your base fabric is wool, wool blends and/or you do not want to get the project wet, choose a heat-away stabilizer with rayon embroidery threads.

Step One: Hoop the base fabric with disappearing stabilizer. Tighten the hoop. Insert the hoop into the machine and start embroidering. The machine will embroider the outline of the design and stop.

Step Two: Cover the outline with the applique fabric. Start the machine. It will embroider the outline again and stop.

Step Three: With a pair of sharp scissors, cut away the fabric around the outline first.

Then cut away the fabric around the leaves as shown on the picture below. Cut as close to the stitches as possible, but be careful not to cut through the stitches.

Step Four: Return the hoop into the machine and finish the embroidery. Your stitch out will look like this:

Step Five: Cut away the excess stabilizer.

If you were using water-soluble mesh, wash the remainder in a bowl of lukewarm water, air dry and press with steam. If you used heat-away stabilizer, remove the remainder with a hot iron according to the manufacture's directions.

Here are some samples of the embroidered designs.

The design for mega hoop is used to embellish a wool skirt. The sheer organza of a matching color is used as the applique fabric. The work is done using heat-away stabilizer.