Sewing with Lace and Fabric

Lace to Lace

Whether we're making a christening dress, a child's garment, ladies' clothing, a wedding gown or special linens, the same basic techniques are at the core of many heirloom projects. This week we'd like to share tutorials for two such techniques with you: sewing lace to lace and lace to fabric. If you're new to heirloom sewing, these instructions shared by Sue Pennington Stewart in our Favorite Heirloom Sewing Designs edition will help give you the needed know-how to dive into your first project. If you're a seasoned heirloom sewist, perhaps you can share the tutorials with a friend who is new to the craft! 


Things to know before you begin:
• The stitch settings given are not absolutes. Different machines stitch out differently. Use the settings given as starting points, adjust up or down as needed and use what works best for you.

• These techniques work best on very lightweight, natural-fiber fabrics; one hundred percent cotton batiste is the easiest, and most traditional, fabric to work with. The fabric should almost always be starched and pressed before it is sewn.

• For the following techniques, use soft, fine thread and a small needle.

• Fabric pieces should be on grain for this work. A torn edge is a good way to ensure that fabric is on grain; remember that it may be necessary to trim away the fuzzy edges before performing the heirloom techniques described in the following instructions.


Lace to Lace:
1. Press lace without stretching if it is wrinkled, but I do not usually starch lace.

Photo 1

2. Place laces side by side, right sides up (if you can tell a right side) with headings butted together (photo 1).

Photo 2

3. Zigzag (L=1.0; W=2.5) laces together, so that one needle swing goes over heading of one lace, and other needle swing goes over heading of other lace (photo 2). Press this joined strip of lace.


Lace to Fabric (roll and whip):
1. Place starched fabric right side up. Place a lace strip right side down on top of fabric with edge of lace 1/8 inch in from raw edge of fabric (photo 3).

Photo 3

2. Zigzag (L=1.0; W=4.5) so that one needle swing stitches over heading of lace, and other needle swing goes just off edge of fabric. After a few stitches, raw edge of fabric should start rolling in toward and covering lace heading (photo 4). If it doesn't, try increasing needle tension slightly.

Photo 4

3. Press rolled hems toward fabric. This next step is optional, but I use it, almost always, as it gives a much neater look and keeps the rolled seam from folding back under lace. From right side, zigzag (L and W=1.0) with a very tiny stitch so that one needle swing stitches over folded-under edge of fabric and into lace, and other needle swing just catches fabric.

4. Press this lace-embroidery strip again.


Learn many more heirloom sewing techniques on our Sew Beautiful DVDs. These DVDs are full of inspiration and instruction for beginning and advanced heirloom sewists alike, and they are on sale now through March 6 as part of our huge National Craft Month celebration!

Sew On, Sew Well, Sew Beautiful,
Cyndi and Amelia

No need to cry over torn lace!

Today we are talking LACE!  

Martha is no stranger to lace and using it to make beautiful garments.  Today we want to share a Lace Hearts segment of the Lace Shaping DVD from the Martha Pullen TV Collection.  

Click HERE

How long have you been a fan of Martha's on television?  Leave a comment in the section below telling us your favorite episode.  We will randomly choose one of the responses to receive a Single Show Subscription!  Valued at $19.99, you will have access to any single Martha Pullen TV show for 6 months so you can watch it as often as you like!  Choose either an in-depth sewing tutorial or an episode of Martha's Sewing Room.  

Also, try this easy lace repair technique from 

Sue Stewart!

I received an email from a Sew Beautiful reader, Delayne McDonald, wanting to know how to fix ripped lace in an fancyband on her granddaughter’s portrait dress. I knew that Sue Stewart had addressed this very problem in a past issue and gave Delayne Sue’s email. A week or so later I got a sweet email from Delayne sharing how excited she was with the results along with a few photos. I asked her to share her experience with Sue's technique on our blog for National Sewing Month. Here is how Delayne saved a precious heirloom dress from ruin with the help of Sue Stewart’s easy to follow instructions for repairing lace. -Kathy Barnard, Editor

Taylor (Delayne’s granddaughter) on the day of her portrait session. 

You can see the big tear in the fancyband.

First, cut away the lace from the hole next to the entreduex to "clean" the area and prepare it for
a replacement.

Next, cut a piece of matching, or closely matching lace 1-inch longer than whole. Place over whole with 1/2 inch

overlap on each end. Shift lace to match motifs to existing lace on each side, or at least one side.  

With 80 weight thread and a Size 60 or 70 needle, zigzag stitch to join header of new lace section to entredeux on each side of "hole." 

It helps to place a pice of water soluble stabilizer underneath while stitching. 

It is best to stitch the ends if you can. Sewing ends didn't work for me, so I used a fray stopping liquid. Keep in mind that over time 

chemicals like fray stop liquids can yellow with age.

 All fixed!

 *Don't forget to comment your favorite 

Martha Pullen episode!*