Just starting needlepoint lace?

You will need:

• Firm background fabric
• Crewel and tapestry needles
• Tatting thread (DMC Special dentelles no 80) in whites, lemons, yellows or oranges, plus greens
• Fabric scraps and blue sticky backed film

You will need to download and print the free needlelace pattern.

You will need Adobe Reader (the latest version is recommended) installed on your computer in order to open and read this chart. You can get Adobe Reader here (a new window will open, so you can download without leaving this page).

If you want to open the file in your browser window, you can just click on the link. However, if you want to download the file to view later, then right click on the link and choose "Save Target As" (or "Download Linked File As" if you are using a Mac). Then select where you want to save the file on your hard drive.

Once you have saved the file, locate where you saved it, and double click to open.

In order to print, open the downloaded file, and select the "Print" option from the menu.

The Surface Embroidery

Trace the stem and a leaf lightly onto your background fabric, with a thin pencil line. You can do this on a light box, if you have one, or improvise by using a window during daylight hours. Lay the fabric on top of the pattern and then hold the two layers against a window pane. You should be able to see the pattern through the fabric in this way.

Using the crewel needle, work two rows of stem stitch, close together, in green for the stem. Next, work the leaf in split stitch rows, again using green. Right with our background ready we can put it to one side for the time being and move on to the lace itself.

The Petal Cordonnet

Take a rectangle of scrap fabric and trace the petal shape onto the center of it. This piece of fabric will not be part of the final project so you can draw the petal firmly. Lay this face down on your working surface and fold each side of the rectangle over the center, as shown below, to form a 3 layer pad. Stick a piece of blue adhesive film (or architects linen) on top of the traced pattern, and we are ready to start laying the cordonnet.

Cut a long length of yellow thread (or the colour you wish to use for your petals) and fold in in half. Thread the crewel needle with similarly coloured, scrap embroidery cotton and knot the end.

Bring the needle through the fabric on the drawn line. Pass it through the folded loop in the thicker thread and go back through the three layers of fabric and film through the same hole as before. Couch this thread along the drawn outline, taking stitches about 1/2cm apart.

When you reach half way, separate the doubled thicker thread and pass one strand through the original loop. Bend it back and lay it beside itself until it joins the doubled thread and continue couching it down. Take your coaching thread through to the back and fasten off. Leave the ends of the thicker thread for now. They will prove useful once your petals are ready to be joined to the background.

The couched thread will form the structure of our needlepoint lace petal, whilst later we will remove the thin couching thread, which only has a temporary job to do.

Corded Brussels Stitch

Thread the tapestry needle with your petal colour and fasten it to the cordonnet, without taking it through the fabric at all. Lay the thread across the petal where the line is shown on the pattern and split the double couched thread on the other side of the shape, again without going through the fabric. Our petal will become a separate piece of lace when we are finished and will be cut off the fabric that is currently supporting it.

Work back to the starting point by making a row of buttonhole stitches over both the outer cordonnet and the thread stretched across the petal. DO NOT go through the fabric, just lay the stitches on the surface of the film. Do not pull tightly as you will need to see the loops in order to work the second row, but don't leave them too loose either. Getting the tension right is the tricky bit, but it will come with practice.

Regularly let your needle drop so that the thread untwists, to avoid knots and tangles.

When you reach the outside edge take the thread under the cordonnet and then pass it back in between the doubled thread to anchor it. Take it across the petal again, just below the first line of buttonhole stitches. Take your first stitch of the second row through the outline and under the carried thread. Then work buttonhole stitches into the loops of the first row, taking the needle under the carried thread each time. When you reach the point where the petal narrows (half way) take your first stitch as before then miss out one or two loops from the previous row, then continue, as before, to fill the petal with corded brussels stitch.

When you reach the bottom (or final edge) of the petal slip stitch the corded brussels to the outer cordonnet through each loop.

If you have a long piece of thread in your needle you can use this to work buttonhole stitches (corded edge outwards) over the cordonnet, all around the petal. Otherwise begin with a new length.

To remove the petals from the backing pad, lift the top layer of fabric and cut the couching stitches. Gently lift the work off the top of the film and pick off any remaining couching threads with tweezers.

Work five more petals in the same manner.

Attach three of the petals to the background fabric at the top of the stem. Just catch down the inner points around the stem stitches at the top of the stem (leave most of the petal free). Leave the other three petals to attach later.

The trumpet in double brussels stitch

Tension is even more important here, as we are not using a laid thread. Attach the working thread to the cordonnet and start by taking two buttonhole stitches into the outline, then leave a gap before working another group of two. Continue in this manner across the row.

The second row is worked in the opposite direction, making two stitches into each long loop and missing out the small loops. Continue working back and forth to fill the area. Again decrease where the shape narrows by missing out loops from the previous row.

When the shape is completed, buttonhole just the curvy edges at the end of the trumpet. Fold the trumpet in half and join the straight edges with slip stitch. Then attach the trumpet to the background so it lays on top of the first three petals. Just catch the point of the trumpet to the fabric leaving the rest unattached.

Then stitch the remaining three petals in place so that they cover the first layer.

Stitching the loose leaf

I hope you have enjoyed this introduction to starting needlepoint lace.

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