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Cozy Critter (In-the-hoop)

Cozy Critter (In-the-hoop)

Wrap your mugs in style with too-cute mug cozy critters! Follow our step-by-step instructions for making these machine embroidery designs right in the hoop!

Supplies & Materials:

Project Materials or Supplies

  • 1/4 yard of flannel
  • Cotton batting
  • Tear-away stabilizer
  • Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer
  • Temporary spray adhesive (such as Gunold KK100)
  • Velcro circle (sew-on) or a sew-on snap
  • Air erase marker for sewing
  • Needle for hand sewing

The designs used in this tutorial include:

-X13534, Fox Cozy Critter (in-the-hoop)

Gather Materials:

When you download an in-the-hoop cozy critters design, you will find multiple files. Some are the embroidery files, and the others are dieline files marked with the letters "DL". Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the correct shape and size. Open and print each dieline file using an embroidery software. If you do not have an embroidery software, take a look at our helpful video on using dielines.

Orange fabric and a piece of textured white fabric on a white surface, with two paper pattern pieces showing outlines and seam lines for a small animal shape.

First prepare the front fabric piece for file "a".
Spray a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Smooth the fabric on top.
Then, spray the backside of the front piece paper dieline with spray adhesive and smooth that on top of the fabric.

White paper with black outline of a cat-like shape divided into four sections is placed on an orange felt square, all on a white background.


Cut out the shape.

Orange-handled scissors cutting a white paper template shaped like an animal with a small orange section on one edge, on a white surface.


For the back fabric piece, spray the wrong side of the fabric with temporary adhesive and smooth it onto a piece of cotton batting.

Then, spray the back of the back piece paper dieline and smooth it on top of the fabric.

Felt pieces layered: white base, orange rectangle, and white rectangle with a simple black outlined animal shape divided into four sections.


Cut out the shape.

Orange-handled scissors cutting white felt with an orange felt piece and a paper template with stitching lines on a white background.

Start Embroidering:


Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer.
Madeira E-Zee Tear 1.5 oz. or Floriani Tearaway Medium are good choices.
Those brands are more fibrous, less paper-like, and will tear more cleanly.

Embroidery hoop with white fabric secured inside, excess fabric loosely gathered around edges, hoop placed on a white surface.


Attach the hoop to the machine and load the full embroidery file "a" (not the dieline files).
Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle, rather than an embroidery needle.
A sharp sewing needle has a smaller, finer point than an embroidery needle, so that will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer.
Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be a dieline, or outline stitch. This marks the area on the stabilizer where we'll place the fabric piece.

Close-up of an embroidery machine sewing an orange outline of an animal shape with ears and paws on white fabric held in an embroidery hoop.


Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer.
Spray the back of the front fabric piece with a temporary adhesive, and place it right inside the sewn dieline.

Hand holding an orange felt cutout shaped like a cat's head with ears, positioned over a white fabric hooped in an embroidery frame.


Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue embroidering the design.
A tack down stitch will sew next. This binds the fabric in place for the remainder of the design.
Once the fabric is stitched in place, all of the inner details will sew.

Orange fox face embroidery in progress on white fabric held by embroidery machine hoop with needle stitching details on ears, eyes, and nose.

Watch for a note on the color change sheet that says "back piece tack down."
When you get to this point, remove the hoop from the machine, but don't unhoop the stabilizer.
Turn the hoop over. Spray the batting side of the back fabric piece with temporary adhesive, and place the fabric inside the shape on the backside of the embroidery.

Orange felt bunny shape sewn onto white fabric held in an embroidery hoop with a plastic latch on a light surface.


Since both sides of the embroidery will be seen, wind a bobbin with the same color as the top thread.

Close-up of an orange thread spool loaded in a white sewing machine bobbin case, with part of the machine's surface and another empty bobbin visible.

Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue with the design.
Another zigzag tack down will sew followed by a finished satin border.

Orange fox face embroidery in progress on white fabric hooped in an embroidery machine, with black stitching details for eyes and inner ears.

After the embroidery has finished, carefully tear the stabilizer away.

Hand holding an orange embroidered fabric patch shaped like a fox head with black eyes and nose, stitched details on ears and cheeks, on white background.


Next, repeat the steps above to prepare and embroider the other two embroidery files (labeled with "b" and "c").

Three orange felt pieces for an embroidery project: a fox head with black eyes and nose, a blank oval piece, and a fox tail with stitched details on white background.


Take the head piece (labeled with an "a") and the body piece (labeled with a "b"), and overlap them slightly with the head on top of the narrower end of the body. Make sure the feet face away from the body.

Orange felt fox-shaped embroidered bookmark with black eyes, nose, and stitched ear details lying on a white surface.


Using a hand sewing needle and the same thread as used in the embroidery, stitch along the overlapping satin border on the front side to attach the two pieces.
Make sure to only catch the first layer of fabric while sewing, and not sew all the way through the pieces of the cozy. This way, no stitches will show through to the other side. If desired, you can also glue them together.

Close-up of a hand holding an orange felt or fabric fox-shaped item with black embroidered eyes, nose, and decorative line details on ears, face, and paws. The background is plain white.

Then sew along the satin border on the back side of the pieces to finish attaching them together.

Close-up of a hand sewing orange felt pieces together with red thread and a needle, showing a partially stitched fabric shape on a white background.


Next, place the body piece on top of the tail piece so that they overlap by 1".
Sew them together along the satin borders on the front and back sides.

Flat embroidery project of an orange fox with black and dark orange stitched details, showing face, body, legs, and tail, with an orange thread looped nearby.


Place one side of the Velcro circle on the underside of the face piece towards the point of the nose, and sew it in place.
Make sure not to sew all the way through to prevent stitches from showing on the other side.

Orange felt piece shaped like a hand making a peace sign with red stitching along the edges and a small pink circular patch near the fingers, on a white background.

Next wrap the mug cozy around a mug with the head overlapping on top of the tail.
Using an air erase pen, mark where the Velcro circle rests on the tail.


Special Notes:
When finished, the cozy critters fit a mug with a circumference of 11" or smaller.

Hands holding a brown mug with an orange fabric sleeve featuring a fox head, while drawing on the sleeve with a white stylus.

Sew the other side of the Velcro dot onto the tail where it was marked.

Close-up of an orange felt bird wing with decorative white embroidery and a small round pink patch sewn near the wingtip on a white surface.


A sweet and cuddly way to keep your coffee warm and your hands cool!

Dark brown ceramic mug with a felt orange fox face cozy wrapped around it, placed on a round wooden slab with bark edges, plain light background.