Cookie Ornaments, In-the-Hoop

Add a tasty look to your Christmas tree with these festive cookie ornaments. Stitched entirely in the hoop, they're a sweet addition to any holiday decor (great for gifts, too!).

When you download an in-the-hoop cookie ornament 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.

Spray the backside of each dieline printout with temporary adhesive and smooth it on the felt.

Cut out the shape and remove the paper.

Repeat this process for the front piece and back piece, too.

Now that the fabric pieces are 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.

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.

Spray the backside of the front fabric piece with temporary adhesive.

Place the fabric right inside the dieline.

Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue embroidering the design.

A running stitch tack down will sew next. This binds the fabric to the stabilizer.

Then, another dieline will sew.

This is the dieline for the inside applique piece. When you reach the step labeled "internal detail tackdown", stop the machine and remove the hoop but do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Spray the backside of the inside applique piece with adhesive and place it right inside the dieline.

Attach the hoop to the machine and continue embroidering -- a zigzag tack down will sew next.

Then, all of the inner elements will sew.

Next a satin stitch border will sew out.

Look for a note that says "back piece tack down".

When you reach this step, stop the machine, and remove the hoop but once again do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Cut a 7" length of ribbon and bring the ends of the ribbon together to form a loop.

Use a small piece of masking tape to secure the ends of the loop to the top of the backside of the back fabric piece.

Spray the backside of the back fabric piece with adhesive.

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

Tape the ribbon to the side of the hoop so that it will not be sewn over in the remaining steps.

Since both sides of the ornament will be visible when complete, wind a bobbin with the same color used in the needle.

Attach the hoop back to the machine.

Continue with the design -- another tack down stitch will sew. This binds the front and back fabric together.

After the design has finished, remove the tape, unhoop the stabilizer, and gently tear it away.

Note: The first dieline will be removed when the stabilizer is torn away.

These sweet ornaments make tasty additions to your tree -- or fun decorations on gifts, too!

This project is featured on the Embroidery Library Pinterest page.

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