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Animal Eye Masks (In-the-Hoop)

Animal Eye Masks (In-the-Hoop)

In-the-hoop wearable masks use fabric to fill open areas and add a back to their designs. The result is a fun and friendly mask that is fabulous for dress up, birthday parties, Halloween, and more. Follow these tips and tricks to learn how to embroider an in-the-hoop mask.

Supplies & Materials:

Project Needs & Notes
- Felt, flannel, or ultra suede
- Small piece of stiff felt (for added fabric pieces -- like the beak on the  owl mask )
- Medium-weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
- Tear-away stabilizer
- Temporary spray adhesive (like Gunold KK100)
- 1/2" - 5/8" wide ribbon
- Large eye tapestry needle
- Small sharp scissors or craft knife and cutting pad

The designs used in this tutorial include: 

For this tutorial, I used the small size of the Woodland Fox Mask (In-the-Hoop) design.
Find even more in-the-hoop mask designs  here .

Sizing Notes:
The masks are available in three different sizes: large, medium, and small. Use the chart below for choosing the appropriate size. Measure between the pupils of the eyes (this will ensure that the eye holes will sit properly when the mask is worn):

Large: 3 3/16"
Medium: 2 3/4"
Small: 2 3/8"

Cut ribbon ties according to mask size (see below):
Large: two 29" lengths
Medium: two 24 1/2" lengths
Small: two 20" lengths

Gather Materials:

In-the-hoop masks from Embroidery Library have dieline files.

Download the mask design and unzip it. Extract the files and look for those marked with the letters "DL". Those files are the dielines. Dielines are used to cut fabric to the right shape and size of the masks. Print the dielines; if you do not have an embroidery software, take a look at our helpful video on using dielines. 

Note: Some of the mask designs will have three dieline files: "DLFront", "DLBack" and "DL". The "DL" file is an added fabric piece (like the beak on the owl mask).

Two printed template sheets on white paper showing outline drawings of animal eye masks with fox-like ears and eye holes, placed on a light wooden surface.

To prepare the front fabric piece, spray a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Spray the baskside of the front piece dieline printout with a quick shot of adhesive; smooth that on top of the fabric.

Hand holding orange fabric with white fabric underneath. A paper template of an animal eye mask with two eye holes is pinned or placed on top. The background is a plain surface.

Cut out the shape. Also cut out the back fabric piece and any other added fabric pieces (I used stiff felt for the additional pieces).

Two orange felt eye masks shaped like cat faces with cut-out eye holes. One mask is held by a hand, the other lies on a white surface.

Start Embroidering:

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. Load the full embroidery file and attach the hoop to the machine. Embroider the design. The first thing to stitch is another dieline.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching the outline of an eye mask design on white fabric hooped in an embroidery frame. The design includes two eye holes and a strap shape.

After the dieline has stitched, remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the backside of the front fabric piece with adhesive.

Hand holding a spray adhesive can, applying spray to the back of a pink cat-shaped eye mask pattern with two eye holes, on a white surface.

Place the fabric piece right inside the shape.

Hand holding an orange felt cat-shaped eye mask with cutouts for eyes, placed inside an embroidery hoop with white stabilizer fabric underneath.

Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue with the design. A tackdown stitch, also called a zigzag stitch, will sew next. This will bind the fabric to the stabilizer.

Orange fabric shaped like a cat's face with eye holes is being stitched inside a white embroidery machine hoop on a sewing machine.

Other elements of the design will sew. Watch for a note on the color change sheet that says "back piece tackdown". When you reach this step, remove the hoop from the machine and turn it over to the backside.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching an orange fox-shaped eye mask on white fabric, secured in a rectangular embroidery hoop with visible stitching details.

Spray the backside of the back fabric piece with adhesive and place it right inside the shape on the backside of the embroidery.

Orange felt eye mask shaped like a cat face with cut-out eye holes inside an embroidery hoop. A hand is holding the mask on the hoop's fabric.

Some masks will have additional fabric pieces (like the beak on the owl mask).

To add the beak, spray the top of one side of the yellow felt cutout with a bit of adhesive and place in the center bottom of the mask. There should be about 1/2" of the top of the beak overlapping the bottom edge of the front fabric piece. Then, add the back piece on top as instructed above.

Close-up of an embroidery project in progress showing stitched outlines of large eyes and eyebrows on white fabric, with a hand holding a yellow felt piece near the nose area.

Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue sewing. Another tackdown will stitch. This binds the back piece (and any other additional pieces) to the front piece.

Orange and white fox-shaped eye mask with pink inner ears being embroidered on white fabric in a sewing machine hoop under a sewing needle.

For the remaining steps, since both sides of the mask will be visible, I wound a bobbin (or bobbins if there are more than one color remaining) with the same color I am using in the needle.

Hand holding a bright orange bobbin with silver thread inside, positioned over a white sewing machine's workspace. The sewing machine parts and surface are visible.

Satin stitch borders will sew next to finish off the mask.

Orange and white fox-shaped fabric eye mask with embroidered black details, stitched on a white stabilizer inside a sewing machine hoop.

After the design has finished, tear away the stabilizer from inside the eye holes and around the outer edges of the mask.

Hand holding an orange and white felt fox-shaped eye mask with embroidered ears, eyes, and details, over a white background.

Using a small sharp scissors or craft knife, lay the mask on top of a cutting pad and poke holes in the center of the ribbon holes on each side of the mask.

Close-up of a hand holding small embroidery scissors cutting orange fabric along a white-outlined cat-shaped eye mask on a green cutting mat with grid lines.

Thread one end of the ribbon through a large eye tapestry needle and work the ribbon through one of the ribbon holes. Tie that end of the ribbon in place with a knot and trim the ribbon.

Orange fabric fox eye mask with white eye details and pink inner ears, laid on green cutting mat, held by left hand pulling orange strap.

Cut the ribbon to the desired length (see above) and repeat for the opposite side of the mask to finish.

Orange felt fox eye mask with white muzzle and pink inner ears on a green cutting mat, held by two fingers; orange ribbon attached at sides.

These wearable masks are the perfect addition to your dress-up collection, Halloween costume, or birthday decorations. Kids and adults alike will love wearing the fun masks.

Young child wearing an orange fox eye mask with white and pink details, sitting at a table with a cupcake topped with a fox decoration and colorful cloth napkin.