Hello everyone, An Ca from flaxfield sewing here.
I want to tell you a secret: I sewed a Marbella Tank for the first time! It was the first pattern I bought from Pattern Niche patterns in March 2018 because I really love the sexy and beautiful lace back. For me, lace is synonymous with romantic, delicate, feminine, luxurious, classy, … even a little bit of lace gives a garment a completely different radiation. So it goes without saying that I couldn’t resist buying this Marbella tank pattern.
But oh, sewing that fragile lace, I was already shuddering at the idea alone. Now that I have had my baptism of fire with lace, I can tell you: there was no need for that fear!
Do you have any reluctance to embark on this pattern? I’d love to tell you my tips so you can feel confident tackling that gorgeous lace on the Marbella.
Tip 1:
Iron your lace before you cut. It removes all the creases. Put your heat settings on low heat and no steam. Most lace fabrics are made with polyester or nylon, so they’ll melt when overheated. Always use a pressing cloth between the lace and your iron to protect it.
Tip 2:
Lace has 2 different sides. Is there a right side and a wrong side? Actually not, but there is a visible difference between the two sides. You can choose which side you like best, but stick to your choice and cut all the pattern pieces on the same side to avoid a difference between your different pieces. (I chose Side A)
SIDE A
SIDE B
Tip 3:
If you cut your lace, be sure to use sharp scissors or even better, a sharp rotary cutter. Don’t let your fabric hang off the table, your cutting edges will otherwise be deformed.
Tip 4:
The lace we use for the Marbella Tank is stretch lace. You can treat it as stretch fabric. I used a ballpoint needle and a narrow stretch stitch to sew. Lower your pressure foot tension to 1.
Tip 5:
No backstitching! When I backstitch, my machine eats my lace. Better leave long tails of thread on the beginning and at the end of your stitching. Knot the ends by hand.
Tip 6:
To strengthen the edges of your lace, you can use FOE. However, I think FOE is a little too heavy for my delicate, fine lace. Of course I wanted a nice tight edge on my tank and therefore I used clear elastic. A perfect match! You can’t see it but it really makes a difference for the stability of the seams.
I am convinced that these tips will help you to turn the Marbella into a masterpiece, so please share your make with us. You will look fantastic!
If you love my work you can follow me on my blog: Flaxfield Sewing or on Instagram: flaxfield_sewing.
X Anca
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