Ornament Tutorial
Ornament Tutorial
(Using foam)
This tutorial will walk you through how I like to make my ornaments with foam. Using foam really helps stabilize the ornament and makes for a more professional result. This tutorial provides instructions for in the hoop ornaments purchased from Hug A Bug Applique.
Start by hooping your stabilizer. I like to use a medium weight tear away stabilizer.
The first step will be the placement stitches for the foam (not shown). The second step will be the tack down stitches for the foam.
After this step, you’ll want to trim around your foam.
The next steps will be placement and tack down stitches for the applique fabric pieces. You’ll want to trim after each tack down, just like you would for any applique. After all applique pieces have been added and the design details have stitched, you’ll want to add any personalization. (I did not add any personalization to this ornament.)
After the details of the ornament stitch (and your added personalization), the next step will be adding your ribbon/string AND tack down stitches for the BACKING FABRIC. I tape my ribbon/string AND backing fabric and run this step. I used an 8” piece of jute twine. Make sure your tape is clear of your stitching area. (Note: I didn’t care that the tape for the string would be forever inside the ornament. If you want to be able to remove the tape before the final stitching around the ornament, tape your string and run the tackdown step for the backing. Then, remove your ribbon/string tape and place and tape your backing fabric. You will run the tackdown step for the backing a second time.)
Next, you’ll trim your backing fabric. Make sure you don’t snip your ribbon/string.
The last steps will be the satin finishing stitches for the entire design. I tape my ribbon/string at the top to make sure it doesn’t get caught anywhere. Make sure the tape is clear of the stitching area.
Once the design is complete, you can remove it from the hoop. If you used a tear away, the ornament should easily tear away from the stabilizer. After I’ve removed all the stabilizer, I like to singe the edges of the entire ornament just to clean it up a bit. Go slow and be careful not to burn your ornament. I am not responsible for any mishaps with the lighter. Just sayin’.
Your ornament is DONE!