Silverware Pockets (In-the-Hoop)

Set your dining table in style with in-the-hoop silverware pockets. These silverware holders add personality and flair to your table settings, and are fabulous for both everyday use and for special occasions.

Supplies & Materials:

Project Needs & Notes

6" x 6" high piece of quilter's cotton
6" x 8" high piece of stiff felt (for back piece)
Tear-away stabilizer
Medium-weight (2.5 ounce) cutaway stabilizer
Temporary spray adhesive (like Gunold KK100)

Designs used in this tutorial include:

Gather Together Silverware Holder (In-the-Hoop)

Gather Materials:

Silverware pocket designs have three files.

One is the full embroidery file, and the other two are dielines. The dieline files are marked with the letters DL. Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the right shape and size.

Open the dieline files with embroidery software, and print them.

Two white fabric pieces with drawn black lines and rounded corners lie on a wooden surface, appearing as cut or sewing patterns for pockets.

Spray a piece of medium-weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary adhesive. Smooth the fabric on top.

Then, spray the back of the printed dieline for the front with temporary adhesive. Smooth that on top of the fabric.

A hand holds a white fabric square with an orange fabric square underneath, both hooped together with a printed stitch pattern showing a large square divided into four sections. The background is a wood surface.

Cut out the shape.

Orange fabric piece with one rounded corner placed on a wooden surface next to a pair of large silver scissors with shiny blades.

Start Embroidering:

Now that the fabric piece is cut to the proper shape and size, it's time to embroider the design.

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 attached to a fabric stabilizer on a wooden surface, with the embroidery machine clamp partly visible on the right side.

Attach the hoop to the machine and load the full embroidery design (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 front fabric piece.

Embroidery machine hoop with white fabric and red thread outline of a square with rounded corners being stitched on the fabric under the machine needle.

Spray the back of the front piece with temporary adhesive.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Place the fabric piece right inside the sewn dieline.

Hand with fingers touching an orange square fabric piece placed inside a gray embroidery hoop on a wooden surface. The hoop has a plastic handle.

Reattach the hoop to the machine and continue with the design.

A zigzag stitch tack down will sew next. This binds the fabric in place for the remainder of the design.

Embroidery machine stitching a black zigzag border around an orange fabric square hooped in a white embroidery frame.

All of the inner elements will sew next.

On the color change sheet, look for the note that says "pocket top border." When you get to this section, stop the machine and remove the hoop from the machine. Do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Orange fabric square with autumn leaf, acorn, and berry embroidery and "Gather Together" text is stitched by embroidery machine in hoop.

The remaining steps will be seen from both sides. Wind a bobbin with the same thread used in the top.

Hand holding a small metal bobbin wound with reddish-brown thread in front of a sewing machine needle plate. The background is a white sewing machine surface.

Continue embroidering the design.

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. Do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Orange fabric embroidered with "Gather Together" in brown thread, decorated with acorns and autumn leaves, held in embroidery hoop on a sewing machine.

Spray the backside of the back dieline printout with temporary adhesive.

Smooth onto the stiff felt fabric.

Hand holding yellow felt with white paper template marked with rounded corners and intersecting straight lines, placed on wooden surface.

Cut out the shape.

Bright yellow felt piece with rounded corners lies on a wood grain surface next to a pair of silver scissors with one blade open.

Spray the corners of the stiff felt with adhesive.

Turn the hoop over and place the back piece right inside the shape on the backside of the embroidery.

Hand lifting a yellow fabric piece revealing white fabric with brown zigzag stitches in an embroidery hoop on a wooden table.

Attach the hoop back to the machine. Continue the design.

Another zigzag tack down will sew around the side and bottom edges of the pocket.

Next, a finishing satin border will sew.

Close-up of an embroidery machine stitching an orange fabric pocket with "Gather Together" text and autumn leaves and acorns in orange and brown thread.

Unhoop the stabilizer and gently tear the excess away. The outline stitch will be removed as well.

Hand holding white tissue paper next to an embroidered orange fabric pocket with brown edges. The pocket features fall leaves and acorns design and text "Gather Together" in brown stitching. The background is a wooden surface.

Get Inspired:

Each of these in-the-hoop holders features a pocket for your silverware to slip into, and have gorgeous embroidery decorating the front.

Use them for day-to-day use, or bring them out for special occasions, holidays, and get-togethers.

Orange fabric silverware pocket embroidered with "Gather Together" and fall leaves, holding a fork, knife, and spoon, placed on brown woven placemat next to white plate and orange napkin.