Easter Doily with FSL Border

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Easter Doily with FSL Border is a set of a freestanding lace machine ermbroidery design and a machine embroidery design in the cross-stitch technique.
The FSL part of the set is embroidered in the same way as our FSL ornaments, so please read the General Guidelines first.

Some points to remember from the General Guidelines:
Use Vilene water soluble stabilizer;
Use the same thread for the upper and bobbin to get two-sided embroidery.
DO NOT embroider several designs in one hoop.

You will need Vilene water soluble stabilizer, embroidery threads and a 14" x 14" piece of linen fabric. You can also use 14-count linen Aida. The finished size of the doily is about 16" in diameter.

Step One: Pre-wash the fabric. Embroider the fabric insert, trim the jumps and set it aside for a while. Any water-soluble stabilizer can be used for stabilizing the fabric, but we used Vilene. Dissolve the stabilizer and leave the fabric to air dry.

Step Two: Embroider the FSL flower panel eight times.
Use 2 layers of Vilene-type water-soluble stabilizer. To get 2-sided embroidery, use thread of the same color for both the needle and bobbin. Rinse the stabilizer and leave to air dry.

Impotant Note: It's very important to use as small a hoop as possible. E.g. if your design is for a small hoop, use the small hoop, not the large one; if your design is for a large hoop, use large, not mega. Do not try to embroider several freestanding lace designs in one hoop. This is because all water-soluble stabilizers stretch, and in a bigger hoop, it's going to stretch more. This can lead to the design falling apart after the stabilizer is dissolved. It's always better to embroider one part at a time.

Step Two: Press all parts with steam. On your working table, lay out the designs as shown on the above picture. Thread a needle with the same thread that you used for the embroidery and stitch together the parts in the places marked with blue. You can do this either manually or on your machine. You will get a lace frame.

Step Three: Place the lace frame over the embroidered fabric. Secure in place with pins.

Step Four: Thread your machine with the threads you used for embroidery and, using short but NOT dense zigzag, stitch along the inner edge of the lace frame, shown in blue.

Step Five: Using a sharp pair of scissors, cut away the excess fabric from under the lace.

Step Six: Return to your machine and using a very dense zigzag, of the same width as the lace edge, stitch along the edge of the fabric. Continue to use the same thread with which you embroidered the design.