Machine Embroidered Tulle Veils

Did you know that gorgeous detail of heirloom embroidered tulle veils can be recreated using a machine and the free-motion embroidery method? I didn't until Elizabeth shared her favorite embroidered tulle method with me. Below are her instructions for embroidered veils and some photos.

I believe technique B will work with the crewel embroidery method if you want to make a hand embroidered veil, embroidered wedding dress, or stitch on any other type of sheer embroidered fabric.

My favorite method is: free-motion embroidery machine... on tulle!

I try to imitate old veils (mantillas) from Spain, Italy, France and other places around the globe. These artisans left us a lot of culture and many designs to enjoy doing. Of course it takes time today, as well, but not that long like it used to because those laces were made hand made. Now we have machine made laces and can decorate them with some machine embroidery.

My goal with embroidered tulle is to imitate those designs, the closer the better. I can work in any kind of tulle, even if it is stretch, but there are three methods that I use in any embroidered tulle. It depends on how complicated the design is.

1. Buy some acrylic paint that is the same color as the tulle you want to use. Then paint it. Use gloves and a hair dryer. Also you'll need "gel pens" (in this case look for a lighter color if the tulle is black) to write the design on. Then embroider with any kind of thread using a hoop. Any additional secret? Yes, the needle should be either for elastic fabric (90) or for metallic thread. Inconvenience? Yes, you will not be able to wash the tulle with soap, only with water, because the soap will bring the paint off. But you can use fabric softener.
2. I like this better, but it is time consuming. Buy in a roll. The water soluble backing has to be the heavy kind. Cut about 2 yards of it in small pieces and put them in a glass baking dish, add some water, and try to dissolve it. If it won't at first, turn the oven to 250 degrees F or less and warm it until it looks liquid. Mix it, but not too much or it will look white and we don't want it white. Or you can use any pot and heat it on your stove top, but be sure to use a low temperature. Set aside for awhile until the liquid is cool enough to use. Place your yard of tulle on a table (where any paint or stain won't come off it). Set you tulle on it then start pouring the "liquid solvy" until every piece of the tulle is covered. You can use your fingers or a spoon to help the spreading, but not too much or it will look white and you won't be able to see through it. Then get a hair dryer and start drying it little by little until the entire piece is done and wait about an hour later or so. You’ll have a kind of tulle with a clear plastic in between. Unstuck the tulle off the table and "voila" it is like a "plastic fabric" ready to use. In this case you can draw the design with washable markers (the ones that kids use to paint) or the gel pens, which are usually water soluble (do a test). Enjoy embroidering your design and afterwards trim any excess and wash your piece. Tip: You can wash the embroidered tulle with a little water in a big plastic container and reuse that sticky water later for other projects or just wash it in a runner warm water. To press, use a low iron from the back side of your design. You can use a fabric to press or just use a direct iron. Veils made with this method are perfect but there is lot of time and trouble in the process. I like this method as my second choice.
3. I used to use this method. Somehow it is quicker but has its difficulties. You just write the design on the tulle with no backing or anything then you use a color pencil to white your design on. But you'll have a couple of complications. First, your machine bobbins will be stuck with thread and you will have to clean it very often because the pencil color drops down while you embroider your design and creates dirt on the inside machine part. Secondly, if you are using elastic tulle, sometimes you'll have some sort of unevenness in the project since it stretches as you sew. Some will be OK, but some will look shrunken or distorted, even if you use a hoop. So this method only works on certain tulle that of course it has to be durable but transparent and not elastic. I know people that use this method for embroidered tulle and they don't have much trouble using it but my complaint is that, at least for me it doesn't come out even when I do it. And they don't do complicated designs as I do.

Well, I have studied some history about the designs and I haven't decided what I want to embroider because there are several designs and methods. Mine is quite complicated, but I like it. I like to embroider flowers that look real while my mom's style is like a bridal lace. Well, there's too much to learn and to do.

Time consuming projects? Yes! A yard of embroidered tulle takes about 8 hours to 4 days or so... it varies depending the design and the size to embroider, not counting the preparation time you invest in it.

-- from Elizabeth in Texas