All about Lace!

 

If you love getting lost in the lace aisle of your local fabric shop or maybe you’ve recently discovered lace online and are a little overwhelmed at all the choices (not to mention not being able to touch and feel it!), then read on.

I’m going to share about the laces I love to use (and wear) in my loungewear, specifically the laces that are ideal to use on the Lenox cami/romper pattern set, the Carnegie robe, or Park nightshirt as well as the laces I don’t use for these projects and why.

 

Stretch vs. non-stretch

First things first, we can divide our laces into two main categories: stretch and non-stretch laces. Stretch lace will be ideal for your Sutton bralette and undies, but everywhere else we’ll focus in on non-stretch laces.

 

What it’s made from

Second, when it comes to fiber content, for my day to day lingerie, I look for nylon laces. Why? Well, I’ve found that nylon laces are the softest against my skin for the most economical price. I should note that I am sewing and using my laces for items that I wear on a regular basis – and wash – and I also sew on a budget. So for me, nylon laces like the one I used below on the neck edge of the Lenox for under $2 a yard at Minerva fit the bill. I find narrow nylon edging laces for under $1 a yard, too.

 

 

BUT, if you’re making something extra special like a wedding set or you have a budget to buy the best, then I’d look for the creme de la creme of the French made silk lace! This gorgeous Chantilly lace is $39 a yard at Britex and so, so gorgeous.

 

Cotton lace is also easy to wash and wear, but I find most cotton laces too heavy of a weight. Which leads us to the lace weight and type below!

 

Weight and type

If we take a stroll in Soho or down Madison Avenue and step inside a fancy lingerie boutique, we’ll find our lingerie trimmed with airy, delicate, super fine lace. So, whether silk or nylon, I like to buy the same for my creations! Let’s take a closer look at some examples of this in action:

 

Edging Lace

Edging lace has one decorative edge and one straight edge which you’ll use to attach the lace to the garment. This is the type of lace I find myself using the most! I used this edging lace to trim my Park nightshirt manipulating the lace into 2 lace slits on the side! I show how to do this in my course Luxe Loungewear.

 

 

Then I used a narrow nylon edging lace similar to this to finish the neckline and sleeves.

 

 

Gallloon Lace

Next, you’ll find Galloon lace. Galloon lace has 2 edges that are decorative which makes it really beautiful to use on edges!

For my robe, I used a black non-stretch galloon lace I found at Daytona Trims in NYC… similar to this one.

 

 

Inset Lace

Then, we have inset lace! This lace type is traditionally used in heirloom sewing but I love using it in my everyday projects. Here I used lace insets similar to this in my Lexington pajamas.

 

 

I also used a galloon lace to add insets along the outer edge of the Lexington pajama pants and on my Carnegie robe 🙂

 

 

Lace fabric

Instead of cutting my back Lenox out of my fabric, I used lace fabric instead! I used a soft nylon lace fabric similar to this. I also bought a few yards in a teal color that I’m thinking to make an entire garment out of. Can’t decide between making a sheer robe or a Lenox slip!

Laces I don’t recommend for these projects and why

Venise Lace is gorgeous and made from an age old Venetian process but I find it far too heavy for my loungewear and also a bit difficult to attach to my fabric edges because of it’s heavy weight it doesn’t have as much flexibility when applying to corners and curves.

 

Gathered nylon lace is also one I avoid as you won’t get the same seamless look that you’ll get with a flat lace on your flat fabric. I save gathered laces for crafts or maybe children’s projects.

Edging laces with a very wide edge are also on my no-buy list! That extra width along the edge may seem beneficial to add strength but it’s not needed and it ends up looking too thick once sewn on to your delicate garment. Stick to edging laces that have one delicate edge.

 

Heavy embroidered lace or bridal lace with pearls and decoration are pretty but they’re most likely going to be far too heavy for your delicate loungewear projects. Plus, they can have a lot of open space which makes them a difficult choice for finishing your edges.

 

 

Crochet lace has a gorgeous old world charm but because of it’s large open weave, it would be difficult to apply to your delicate fabrics in loungewear.

 

 

Guipure lace is a type of bobbin lace without any mesh backing, so similar to those laces above, it would be too open – and too heavy – to attach to our fabrics.

photo credit: Mood Fabrics

 

Final thoughts…Color choices

 

Making thoughtful color choices with your fabric and laces can be an interesting way to add drama through contrast or make just a subtle statement with tonal colors. Here’s some inspo:

You can also check out the full Luxe Loungewear Pinterest Board here! 

If you’re falling in love with lace as much as I have and want to up your intricate sewing skills, check out my online sewing course,, Luxe Loungewear.

Have a question? Drop it below or feel free to reach out to me at hello@sewingandthecity.com

Until next time,