3-D Butterfly Headbandby Christine Warren

Create a 3-D freestanding applique butterfly and attach it to a child’s headband for a fun hair accessory. These butterflies also work great on hair clips and bows, too!

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Read all instructions before beginning the project.

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Special Supplies• 1 to 2 yards Sulky Ultra Solvy™ (Item #408-25)• Sulky™ 3-D Butterfly Machine Embroidery Palette with Flight of Fancy Butterflies design collection• 8” x 6 ½” rectangle of batik or solid fabric per butterfly or ¼ yd. of 45”-wide fabric• (OPTIONAL) assorted flatback rhinestones for accenting wings (2 large and 2 small per butterfly)• (OPTIONAL) Assorted 3mm & 4mm rhinestone bicone beads for antennae• (OPTIONAL) Fabric glue for flatback rhinestones • Plastic headband

Project OverviewUsing the small Flight of Fancy Butterfly embroidery files, create 1 small body and 1 small wingspan. Choose a batik fabric with lots of colors and a different set of threads, per the color chart below. Or use the original color chart and a solid fabric for a different look.

Sewing Supplies• Sewing Machine with Embroidery Capabilities • Appliqué scissors• 8 bobbins • (OPTIONAL) Tweezers to position rhinestones• Dish pan • Drying rack

Embroidery Color Chart & SequenceTo make the butterfly in the colors shown above, choose the following thread colors (these differ from the original design instructions, so take note of any new thread spools you may need to replicate this project exactly.)

1. Black—tacking stitch (Item #942-1005)2. Black zigzag edgestitch (Item #942-1005)3. Black fill stitch on wings (Item #942-1005)4. Gold metallic (Item #142-7007)5. Bright White (Item #942-1001)6. Mimosa Yellow (Item #942-1187)7. Caribbean Mist (Item #942-1644)8. Lilac (Item #942-1830)9. Red metallic (Item #142-7014)10. Med. Turquoise (Item #942-1094)11. Black satin outline stitch (Item #942-1005)

Prepare1. Begin by winding ½ full bobbins of all colors except black. Spin 2 full bobbins of black thread.

2. Hoop 2 layers of Sulky Ultra Solvy™. Tighten hoop until all slack is removed and Ultra Solvy is taut.

3. Press the fabric to remove wrinkles.

4. Load the small butterfly wingspan design into the embroidery machine. Load the small body design and position it above the wingspan design. Thread the needle and load the bobbin with the first thread color according to the chart above. Attach the hoop. Use the perimeter baste function on the machine to mark the fabric placement onto the stabilizer.

5. Float the fabric rectangle right side up over the stabilizer, centering it over the basting stitches.

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Wingspan1. Start embroidery. The first sequence is a tacking stitch. Once it is sewn, trim the excess fabric close to the tacking stitch. Do NOT remove the fabric between the wings. See photo below for exact area.

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Wingspan continued2. Once trimming is completed, replace the hoop onto the machine and continue the embroidery.

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3. Finish sewing black thread sequences. Refer to the color chart for the design color changes and remember to change bobbins with corresponding threads.

4. Once the embroidery is complete, embroider the butterfly body using black thread (no fabric is used).

5. Before removing the stabilizer from the hoop, trim any additional bobbin thread tails and long threads from the body.

TIP: Trim the thread tails and long threads after each stitching sequence on the right and wrong side of the butterfly. This ensures a pretty butterfly from all angles and eliminates the need to fiddle with thread tails once the embroidery is complete.

Wingspan continued6. After all wings are completed, carefully remove excess Sulky Ultra Solvy beyond the design edges. The Solvy should tear away from the edge of the butterfly easily. Tear away one layer at a time to avoid pulling on stitches. If it doesn’t tear easily, trim the stabilizer layers ¼” beyond the butterfly edges.

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Assembly1. Switch machine from embroidery mode to standard sewing mode. Remove the embroidery module, if necessary.

2. Position the body over the wings with the head slightly above the wings. Pin the WRONG side of the body to the RIGHT side of the wings. The body is meant to overlap the wings.

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Assembly continued3. Sew the center of the body to the wings using a straight stitch and black thread in the needle and bobbin. The lower portion of the body should extend below the wings. Do NOT attach it to the wings.

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4. In a dishpan ½ full of warm to slightly hot water, submerge the butterfly. Allow it to soak until most of the Sulky Ultra Solvy is dissolved. The estimated soak time is 20 to 30 minutes. Do NOT rinse out all of the Ultra Solvy but remove at least 50%. If additional soak time is required, dump out the old water and fill pan with fresh water to continue soaking. Ideally, no Solvy should be visible in the embroidery after soaking.

Assembly continued5. Once soaking is complete, rinse the pieces in cool water.

6. Place the butterfly flat with the right side facing up on a drying rack. Let the butterfly dry thoroughly.

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7. Once dry, remove from drying rack.

Assembly continued8. OPTIONAL: As an added touch of glitz, glue rhinestones on the wing eyes. The top eye accommodates a 24ss flatback rhinestone and the lower eye fits a 16ss flatback rhinestone. Or use hot-fix crystals and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for applying them to the butterfly right side.

9. Hand sew the butterfly body around a headband using Sulky invisible thread.

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