Posted by Originally posted 14 December 2018
Hello lovelies!
I am ending 2018’s festive crafting here on my blog with an embroidery hoop make! I thought it was apt as my year began with a renewed passion for embroidery hoops. I have spent quite a bit of crafty time this year playing with hoops, making pictures and dreaming up ideas for novel ways of using them. I have such a long list of possibilities and I do love embroidery hoops, so hopefully they will become a big part of my crafty journey in 2019.
This project is great for using up scraps of fabric and you can tuck so many different items into the pocket. See below for tips! There is a little bit of sewing required to finish off the hoop at the back, however, if you were sewing averse, you could use glue instead (again see tips).
Embroidery Hoop Pocket Christmas Decoration
Materials:
Pencil, paper and paper scissors
2 small pieces of matching or contrasting fabrics
Interfacing (optional) – I like the effect of one extra layer of fabric, especially when using thin fabrics
Felt for backing the hoop
Fabric scissors
10cm/4” embroidery hoop
Embroidery thread – I used 6 strand embroidery thread, split into 3 lots of 2 strands.
Needle
Dressmaker’s pins
Small scissors
Ribbon to hang the hoop
Method:
Cut out a circle of paper approximately 2-3 cm larger than the embroidery hoop. Save this paper circle as a template for future projects.
Using the template, cut out 3 circles, one from each of the fabrics and the interfacing, if using.
Cut out a felt circle using the inside ring of the embroidery hoop as a guide. The circle should be a little bit smaller than this. Set aside.
Place the interfacing on a flat surface, followed by the background fabric.
Take the fabric you are using for the pocket and fold it in half, placing it on top of the other fabrics. Pin in place.
Take 2 strands of the embroidery thread and make a running stitch around the layers of fabric, approximately 5 mm from the edge, starting from the right side of the fabrics. Leave a tail at the beginning and the end without knotting either end.
Lay the fabrics on top of the inside ring of the embroidery hoop and lay the outside hoop on top.
Press the outer hoop down over the fabrics, straightening them out as you go.
Tighten the screw at the top of the hoop, ensuring that the fabric is pulled taut from front to back.
Pull both ends of thread together to gather the fabric at the back of the hoop. Tie a knot in the threads and cut loose ends.
Take the circle of felt cut out earlier, placing it on top of the gathered fabric at the back of the hoop.
Take another 2 strands of embroidery thread, knotting the end this time and sew a running stitch around the felt circle, attaching it to the fabric at the back of the hoop.
Attach a length of ribbon for hanging the hoop up and decide what you are going to pop into it. See below for tips!
Tips:
Add ribbon to the layers of fabric to make these hoops even more attractive.
Pop little wrapped pressies (such as badges, lip balms etc) into the pockets of the hoops and gift. You could (as I have done – see pics) wrap some scraps of fabric in brown paper and tie a ribbon around to make a pretend pressie. Pop into the pocket and use as a decoration. Add eucalyptus or holly for an even more festive look.
If you gift them, the recipient can use the pocket to hold all manner of things after they have unwrapped their little pressie – keys, photographs, stationery, dried flowers, paper or felt flowers and so on.
If you do not want to sew to finish off the hoop at the back, add glue (fabric glue should work) to the inside of the hoop at the back and press the fabric down and around as you go. If you have used interfacing, this will be the first layer to be stuck. You will then need to add more glue to attach the background and pocket fabrics to the first layer.
This same method can be used to create pockets in any size of hoop.
Smaller hoops would look great on your Christmas tree.
These decorations do not take a long time to make and if I had more time, I would make many more. Isn’t that the case with so many crafts!? My name is Lucy and I am addicted to crafting!
I had so many lovely messages (mainly on instagram) about my appearance on Kirstie’s Handmade Christmas. Thank you so much for the love and support. I truly appreciate every message. Here’s a pic of Kirstie and I and one of my sweet angel…
Well my lovelies, that’s all from me for this week. I’m going to spend quite a bit of time this weekend baking. Last year, I decided to bake for the staff at my children’s primary school, instead of buying or making lots of individual pressies for significant people. I figured that it is a team effort so everyone could receive a little something from us and what better little something than a gingerbread star!
Happy weekending lovelies! See you next week for my last blog post of the year, where I’ll be sharing some end of year thoughts.
Love always,
Lucy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Lucylu dreams... 