For those lucky sewists with embroidery machines, you may not be aware of all of the wonderful and exciting extras that can be done with your favorite toy. For example, free-standing lace is a beautiful design made with an embroidery machine that is delicate and can be used for so many projects.
What is freestanding lace?
Freestanding lace embroidery designs are often referred to as “FSL” and are done on an embroidery machine. With FSL embroidery designs, the designs are always stitched onto a water-soluble stabilizer rather than fabric. 
When the stabilizer is washed away, what is left is a design made entirely of thread. These designs are able to support themselves after the stabilizer is removed.
What kind of thread do you use for free standing lace?
Most FSL designs are digitized for 40 wt. Rayon or polyester thread, however designs can often incorporate metallic threads or heavier weight threads like 30 wt cotton.
Usually the design information is included with the designs as a PDF file, and the type of thread and the proper weight to use is part of that information.
Because the free standing lace is made entirely of thread, the projects require lots of it! It is best to purchase a large spool of embroidery thread or even a jumbo cone.
Since the FSL will be seen from all sides and angles, the same thread is used in the bobbin as will be used in the needle. More thread!!
For machine embroidery tips and calculators, visit this helpful page on our site.
Uses for free standing lace
There are many different uses for FSL! One of the most popular uses of lace in the past was on wedding dresses and other formal dresses. But that is not the case anymore!
Free standing lace designs look great on t-shirts, jeans, jackets and other garments. It can also be used to embellish pillows, tablecloths…basically anything that would benefit from a touch of class.
However, the FSL embroidery designs can be used to make great projects, too! Check out the tips for the lace lighthouse below. It makes a lovely piece of home decor.
There are free standing lace embroidery designs to make Christmas ornaments, FSL earrings and other jewelry, lovely angels, and lace edging below. 
If FSL embroidery tips are needed, there is a link to our page containing many tips and tricks when making free standing lace embroidery designs.
Scroll down and click on the links below. You will be amazed at how many diverse and creative designs that can be found to entice those who want to try FSL!
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Our 10 tips for success with freestanding lace machine embroidery projects along with photos of projects.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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Purchase and stitch these designs by A Stitch In Time onto water soluble stabilizer, soak in water until the stabilizer dissolves and you are left with beautiful lace!
A Stitch In Time Designs
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A beautiful freestanding lace angel to use as an ornament, bookmark, and more.
Creative Fabrica
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Buy and Download Free Standing Lace Embroidery Designs at AnnTheGran.com.
AnnTheGran
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These Easter Bunny freestanding laces are perfect for decorating any holiday item.
Lace and Art Designs
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Mark pages or the book you are reading with this FREE free standing lace Cancer Support Bookmark
Sew Special
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Over four dozen interesting FSL designs - bookmarks, holidays and more.
Designs by JuJu
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Once you registered an account, you have access to this free free-standing lace pattern.
Sonia Showalter Designs
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A complete tutorial on how to embroider free standing lace.
EM Digitizer
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This post shows how to embroider freestanding lace as well as a few of our thread suggestions and embroidery tips to get you started with this beautiful technique.
Wonderfil
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Follow these helpful instructions to become a master at making the unique type of embroidery, including tips on stabilizer, needle choice, and more.
Embroidery Library
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Embroidery Designs.com has a lot of free standing lace designs for purchase.
Embroidery Designs.com
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Discover the beauty of freestanding lace with Embroidery.com's selection of FSL machine embroidery designs! They stock designs for a variety of holidays and occasions.
Embrodiery.com
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Check out the free standing lace machine embroidery pattern selection on Etsy.
Affiliate Link to Etsy
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This Free Standing Lace butterfly, designed for embroidery machines, requires water soluble stabilizer to be stitched out.
Design Bundles
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This is a beautiful addition to any collarless shirt, blouse or dress. It is a freestanding lace design.
Sew Special
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This free free-standing lace flower design can be downloaded instantly.
Emb Design Tube
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An article on what is free standing lace and how do you make it on an embroidery machine.
Machine Embroidery Geek
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Learn how to make free-standing lace earrings with an embroidery machine and thread. This quick and easy project is perfect to learn free-standing lace designs.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to do stitch and finish free standing lace.
Sylvia's Stitches
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How to embroider free-standing lace with your embroidery machine.
Sewing Machine Fun
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In this video, you'll learn everything about how to stitch FSL from stabilizer to finishing.
Lindee G Embroidery
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Learn about these OESD freestanding lace flower machine embroidery designs and a demonstration on how to wrap a rose design.
Needlepointers.com Associate
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This beautiful set includes 4 Angels which make lovely hanging ornaments.
Kreative Kiwi Embroidery
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A nice little ornament for your Christmas Tree or other home decorating. Get the free design here!
Sew Special
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This page by Advanced Embroidery Designs has some general instructions on using FSL designs. It also included a free FSL design.
Advanced Embroidery Designs
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Creating free-standing lace with the embroidery machine is one of those techniques that look very difficult to create, but are really SO easy. Learn how here.
We All Sew
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Kreative Kiwi offers this free standing lace butterfly as a freebie.
Kreative Kiwi Embroidery
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This narrow lace can be used anywhere - on towels, pillowcases, bags, baskets, any gifts for Valentine’s Day or for a wedding.
Lace and Art Designs
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In this section of their machine embroidery catalog, you will find some beautiful free standing lace embroidery designs to purchase.
S - Embroidery
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You can instantly download this free-standing lace snowflake design.
Linda G Embroidery
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This Free standing lace snowflake ornament would bring Christmas cheer to anyone that receives it.
Sew Special
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A beautiful freestanding lace snowflake to use as an ornament, bookmark, and more.
Creative Fabrica
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SWAK embroidery has hundreds of FSL designs and products for everything imaginable - holidays, animals and much more.
SWAK Embroidery
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Sweet Pea Embroidery Free Standing Lace Snowflake design. Choose, buy and download FSL designs here.
Affiliate Link to Sweet Pea Designs
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Urban Threads has some unique freestanding lace patterns such as letters and numbers, paw prints, along with the usual holiday and seasonal designs.
Urban Threads
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