Free-standing lace (FSL)
Free-standing lace is machine embroidery stitched on water-soluble stabilizer with no fabric, so only the thread is left once the stabilizer is rinsed away.
Free-standing lace, often shortened to FSL, is machine embroidery with no fabric in it. The machine stitches the design onto water-soluble (wash-away) stabilizer. You rinse the stabilizer out, and what remains is a piece made only of thread. Snowflakes, ornaments, bookmarks and earrings are typical projects.
It matters because the thread has to carry the whole shape. Lace files are digitized so the stitches connect to and hold each other once the stabilizer is gone, and shops that sell them say these files are not interchangeable with ordinary designs. A normal design stitched without fabric can warp or fall apart in the rinse. Lace also has no wrong side, so both faces show. Lace designs tend to be dense, which puts extra strain on the stabilizer while the machine stitches.
To stitch it, hoop the stabilizer firmly with no wrinkles. Choose a type the maker lists for lace. Fibrous, clear film and mesh types are all sold for this, and dense designs may call for two layers. OESD says to always use two layers of its mesh for lace. Put the same thread in the needle and the bobbin so both sides match. Embroidery Library suggests a 75/11 sharp needle, which leaves smaller holes in the stabilizer, with 40 wt rayon or polyester on top, or 30 wt cotton or metallic for most designs. Check your manual for the needle types your machine accepts. When it finishes, trim the extra stabilizer, rinse in warm water as the packaging says, blot, dry flat and press with a cloth over the lace.
Common mistakes: stitching an ordinary design as lace; using a different bobbin thread, so a mismatched color shows on the back; using one thin layer on a dense design, so the stabilizer tears or perforates along the stitches; rinsing too briefly and leaving stiff residue; and wringing or pulling wet lace, which can distort it. Check the design size against your machine's embroidery field before you start.
Example: A snowflake ornament listed at 3.5 × 3.5 in (90 × 90 mm) would suit a 4 × 4 in (100 × 100 mm) hoop if your machine's embroidery field allows it. Hoop two layers of wash-away stabilizer if the design maker says it is dense, stitch with the same thread in the needle and the bobbin, then trim, rinse, dry flat and press it under a cloth. Add a loop of thread to hang it.
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Frequently asked questions
Can I stitch any embroidery design as free-standing lace?
No. Lace designs are digitized so the stitches hold each other together without fabric, and sellers say these files are not interchangeable with regular designs. A normal design can warp or fall apart once the stabilizer is rinsed away.
Do I need the same thread in the bobbin and the needle for lace?
Yes. Free-standing lace has no wrong side, so both faces are visible. Wind the bobbin with the same thread you use on top so the two sides look alike.
How many layers of stabilizer does lace need?
It depends on the product and the design. OESD says to always use two layers of its mesh for lace, and another seller says dense designs may need two. Follow the stabilizer packaging and the design's instructions, and re-hoop with a heavier or doubled layer if the stabilizer starts to tear while stitching.