Hoop water soluble stabilizer and put it in your machine. Use one piece of heavy or two pieces of regular.

Stitch out the design.

Notice the top of my machine showing through the stabilizer.  After stitching the base color of the design I will sometimes add a second piece of Water Soluble stabilizer on top. This will help "raise" the second color. In this case the cats face.

Here the design is completed I didn't add the second piece of stabilizer this time.

Remove the Free Standing Lace embroidery design from the hoop. It will sometimes just rip away. Otherwise cut it.

Rinse the stabilizer away. No soap just some warm running water. The more you rinse it the "floppier" it will be.

Lay the Free Standing Lace embroidery flat, to dry. Once dry, it will have some stiffness to it left by the water soluble stabilizer. See how it is not floppy?

Put your drink on it!

I usually add a piece of felt to the back either by fusing, sewing or glueing

 A little something extra:

Many have told me that they use tulle, (or netting) when making free standing lace.It will give it some extra stability, I suppose. You would lay the toile under the water soluble stabilizer. Stitch out only the background color. Remove the hoop and trim the tulle before the outer satin stitch is stitched out.Much like when you make machine embroidered applique.