By Carol Ahles
A touch of lace can take an average garment to stunning! Although lace is beautiful it can be a pain to work with, so we are sharing a few tips to use on your next project.
- Spray starch on each piece to be sure it stays flat. Let dry flat and touch up press, medium heat, if needed.
- Keep in mind that some laces and trims shrink significantly. For example, one piece insertions could shrank to 12-7/8″ from 13-1/2″ when spray starched.
- Steam shrink lace to be gathered (medium heat) but do not starch it; starching will make it more difficult to gather.
- Take care not to stretch any trim or lace as you press.
- Laces with fine, narrow headings will be easier to zigzag or pinstitch neatly. An edging foot with a center guide helps when aligning side-by-side laces, or joining lace and entredeux.
- Should you want to make a lace wider, zigzag an insertion to the heading, straight side, using the technique un-gathered lace to lace.
Just like the girls who wear them, these fine machine-sewn dresses are adorably alike, yet beautifully unique with embellishments. Each dress is made from a variation of “Louise” from Children’s Corner, which adds a scooped back ruffled neckline. Order a copy of our Spring 2017 issue to receive every detail of how Carol Laflin Ahles adapted the pattern for her three granddaughters.
What are your tips for working with lace?
