Hi Everybody.. Question about lace ornaments

**bikerchick** · November 12th, 2009

I'm having a hard time making the lace ornaments or any of the freestanding lace. I don't know if I'm hooping my water soluble too tight or what.. Some of them turn out ok.. but the other's end up ripping and not coming out right.. I've tried not hooping too tight, and tried other stuff too, but I'm getting a little frustrated..
Any help or hints would be GREAT!!

Thank you very much...

Deb

**la_cole** · November 12th, 2009

For best results, rather than using the plastic-looking water soluable (Solvy) try some non-woven dissolvable stabilizer. The non-woven looks like a light weight fabric. Also, try wrapping your hoop. Instructions can be found here.

http://www.k-lace.com/albums/album4/index.htm

Also read through this previous thread about FSL:

http://www.designsbysick.com/forums/...lp-t10512.html

You will be turning out FSL like a pro in no time. Please let us know your results.

**boltonia51** · November 12th, 2009

Great advise LaCole.and great links to information to assist in the stitch out of FSL.

**p_lanter** · November 13th, 2009

Here is the message you quoted at the other thread La Cole.
I have had difficulty with Solvy for FSL. Save it for topping towels and other "nappy" items. The best support for FSL is a nonwoven dissolvable stabilizer. This looks more like fabric and is not plastic. I have heard many here purchase from Wal*Mart. One or two layers is generally sufficient. Stick some rubber shelf liner to your hoops with some double-sided tape to help hold it taut.

Check out this site:

http://www.k-lace.com/albums/album4/index.htm

Be sure that is a sharp needle, Pat.

I personally have purchased at Joanne's Wash and Be Gone. It is sold by the yard and when it is on sale I purchase more. I use 2 layers and it works great. If a design is over 20,000 stitches I always use 2 layers. I get great results every time. Using the tape and liner is a must as well.
Hugs, Patty

**la_cole** · November 13th, 2009

Thanks, Patty. I usually forget to add the comment about the needle. I use a #11 sharp.

**wienerin** · November 13th, 2009

I used the FSL backing from DBS, used up a whole 5000m thread spool on FSL ornaments and had no problem at all, although I did it the hardcore way: used one large sheet in the 36x20cm hoop and stitched out up to 13 ornaments at a time! (And I was a complete FSL-novice then!)
I'd recommend giving the DBS stabilizer a try.

**Grandma Ria** · November 13th, 2009

Thanks La cole and Patty great advice will keep this,very helpfull.
Thanks for sharing Ria

**tndenim** · November 13th, 2009

I do a lot of FSL stuff. I use 2 layers on my ornaments and I always change me needles out a lot. I ised to use only one layer and experienced a multitude of problems. But the two layers seems to have resolved most of them. I have one designs that I've never been able to get to stitch out right. It is very dense. I've even tried three layers with it and it doesn't stitch out. It always messes up. So maybe you have a bad design. I use Floriani Wet and gone mostly because it what my Brother dealer sells.

**TurtleOwl** · November 13th, 2009

Although we're always told not to resize FSL I have had good luck with a 5% or 10% increase on designs that seem too dense to stitch out properly. This seems to open up the design just enough to make it easier to sew.

**tndenim** · November 13th, 2009

How do you up the size - I can reduce a bit on my machine - but never sized up before.

**TurtleOwl** · November 14th, 2009

The Futura I go to edit. The Brother has a box with arrows out on the machine screen to enlarge. Don't know about any other machines.

**windstar** · November 14th, 2009

Not all brother machines will let you resize the design. You can rotate/flip the design.

**Cutiepie** · November 15th, 2009

If your machine won't let you resize, you will need to do it in separate software. The Wilcom TrueSizer will do it, and it is a free download.

**bikerchick** · November 15th, 2009

Thank you LaCole I am going to try that! I really appreciate your advice

Deb

**rajanip** · November 18th, 2009

Brother machine will re-size a design to certain extend if you want to resize further you need to do with separate software, such as truesizer

**boltonia51** · November 18th, 2009

Wow!!!Resizing free standing lace.....I thought you shouldn't do it.But if you have the software to do it. How cool is that!!!!!! My little simplicity will only let you resize the designs that are already in the machine. I say go for it and let us know how you made out with the design..