Create an Embroidery Still Life

Embroidery is usually added to items, but in this project, we are turning that around and adding embellishments to the embroidery!

Begin by framing an embroidery design, and then add an embroidered accent piece, flowers, and any other decorative elements to make a bright and colorful tableau. Choose any theme to create a scene -- let your creative juices flow!

Read on for project instructions to create a vibrant 3D embroidery scene.

Supplies & Materials:

Supplies Needed:

8" by 10" picture frame
1/3 yard fabric (I used linen)
Small piece of heavy weight interfacing
Medium weight cutaway stabilizer
Temporary spray adhesive
Air-erase pen
5" diameter plastic lid or tape roll (for tracing)
Permanent all-purpose spray adhesive
Hot glue and glue gun
Fabric glue
Wire cutter
Small vase
Faux flowers and assorted decorative pieces
Poster tack putty (optional)

Special Project Notes:

For my "Fruits of the Spirit" theme, I used the medium size of the Fruit of the Spirit design. I also stitched the Fall into Color Apple design for the vase accent piece. Let your imagination run wild with other themes! Use this idea with a lighthouse scene (add seashells), a country scene (add hens and roosters), or a child theme (add blocks and toys).

I found my tray and decorative fruit at Target (labeled as vase filler), and the vase and flowers at Michaels.

The first steps for embroidery design framing are included below. For the final steps of the framing process, go to my project instructions on framing embroidery.

Gather Materials:

First, prepare the fabric for the framed piece. Lay the fabric flat with the right side facing up. Remove the back of the frame and lay it on top of the fabric, leaving a couple of inches of excess fabric around the outer edges of the frame back. Using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, trace the shape.

A black picture frame backing placed on beige fabric on a wooden table. A hand holds a purple marker near the frame's corner. The frame has metal clips and a white label with "12/11.

Mark the center of each side of the shape by measuring and dividing by two. Draw lines connecting the marks; the lines will be used for hooping.

Hand holding pen marks a vertical line on white fabric using a clear stainless steel ruler with metric and inch measurements on a wooden table.

Create a paper template of the design by printing it at full size using embroidery software. Poke a hole in the center of the template and align it with the center point on the fabric. Make sure the design fits well within the shape. There should be at least one inch of space between the edges of the design and the outer edges of the shape.

Black and white printed embroidery pattern on white fabric labeled with words like Love, Gentleness, Kindness, Faithfulness, Self-Control, and Goodness framed by floral and vine designs.

Start Embroidering:

Spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine and load the design. Move the hoop so that the needle is directly over the center point on the fabric and embroider the design.

Embroidery hoop with tightly stretched plain beige fabric marked with purple grid lines, placed on a wooden surface.

When the design has finished, trim away the excess stabilizer on the backside of the design.

Embroidery hoop with fabric featuring colorful stitched words like Love, Gentleness, Patience, and flowers, leaves, and scrollwork in blue, pink, orange, and red. Tweezers positioned on fabric.

Spray the front side of the back of the frame with permanent spray adhesive.

Hand holding a blue spray can over a brown wooden square board with evenly spaced drilled holes on a wooden surface.

Align the embroidered piece on top of the frame back, right side facing up, aligning the marked lines on the fabric with the edges of the frame back. Smooth the fabric in place.

Embroidery hoop with white fabric featuring colorful stitched words like Love, Joy, Patience, and flowers in blue, red, yellow, and orange on a wooden surface.

Trim the fabric around the outer edges of the frame back leaving about 1/4" excess. Insert the frame back in the frame and secure it in place.

For the final steps to complete the framed embroidery piece, see the project instructions for framing embroidery.

Black paper backing with multiple metal hanging clips is placed on a white fabric on a wooden surface; a pair of scissors is seen nearby on the right.

To prepare the fabric for the vase accent piece, cut a piece of fabric a bit larger than your hoop. Trace a 5" in diameter object onto the fabric (I used a roll of tape).

Roll of double-sided tape placed on white fabric on a wooden surface, with a hand holding a blue or purple pen near the fabric edge.

Create a paper template of the design and position it within the shape. Make sure the design fits well within the shape. There should be at least 1/2" of space between the outer edges of the design and the edges of the shape. Poke a hole in the center of the template and mark the fabric. Also, mark the horizontal and vertical axis points.

Black and gray embroidery design of an apple with leaves on white paper, positioned on beige fabric marked with purple concentric circles and crosshairs.

Draw lines connecting the marks. Spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric, attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, move the hoop to align the needle with the center point, and embroider the fabric.

Embroidery hoop with fabric stretched and marked with a purple circle and cross lines, placed on a wooden surface.

To assemble the accent piece, spray the backside of the embroidered fabric piece with temporary adhesive and smooth it on the heavy weight interfacing. Spray the backside of the interfacing and smooth it on top of the fabric. Cut out the shape. Zigzag stitch around the outer edges of the shape, leaving about 1/4" open at the bottom.

Round fabric piece with colorful embroidered bellflower in pink, blue, and green sits next to orange scissors and white fabric cutout on wooden surface.

Using a wire cutter, trim a length of stem from the faux flowers (sized to fit your vase), and remove about one inch of the plastic covering from one of the ends.

Green-handled embroidery tool and orange-handled needle-nose pliers on a wood-grain surface.

Add a few drops of fabric glue to the exposed wire, and then insert it in between the inner and back layers on the bottom of the accent piece.

Hand using green seam ripper to cut white circular fabric piece with a finished zigzag stitch edge on a dark wood surface.

Add the decorative pieces to the frame by hot gluing them in place.

Close-up of a framed embroidery with colorful words like Love, Kindness, Faithfulness, and Goodness, surrounded by a floral border. A hand holds a blue hot glue gun near small fruit decorations on a wooden surface.

I then placed the frame and the vase on a tray for easy carrying and placement once the project is completed. You can secure the frame and vase in place by using poster tack putty or hot glue them in place for a permanent arrangement. Add the accent piece and faux flowers to the vase, and you are done!

Hand holding a small, round, worn wooden table leg with yellow felt pads over rubber feet, above a blue-green ceramic plate with artificial pear, apple, and lemon.

Get Inspired:

Choose your favorite embroidery design to build a beautiful 3D scene around! Add fabulous embellishments and decorations to match your theme, and you'll have a beautiful showpiece.

Still life on blue platter: framed embroidered fabric with inspirational words, ceramic pears and cherries, two pink angel figurines, orange rose, blue and white daisies in tall blue vase.