This two-sided stuffed ornament makes a fantastic addition to any Christmas (or palm) tree!
Aloha! This hula girl is in the holiday spirit with a variegated fringe skirt and jingle bell accents. The puca shell hanger completes the tropical theme. This ornament will make a perfect addition to a tropical Christmas tree or as a gift to someone celebrating the holidays in paradise!
It's "sew" easy to customize this project with any design and fabric that you love. Top it off with creative embellishments and a hanger made with shells, beads, or ribbon!
The finished size of the project is 3 x 4.25 inches.
Supplies
Supplies needed:
** Cotton Fabric
** Variegated thread (red and green)
** Polyester fiberfill
** 7 1/2 inch puca shell bracelet
** Medium weight cut-away stabilizer
** Temporary spray adhesive
** Needle and thread for some hand sewing
Optional:
** Small (8mm) jingle bells
Design Used:
** Hula Dancer (Fringe) - Small (also available in Large )
Cut two pieces of the cotton fabric a bit larger than your hoop. Lightly spray stabilizer with a temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric over stabilizer.
Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together.
Before you embroider this fringe design, decide which kind of fringe look you prefer: cut fringe or looped fringe. To learn about the different techniques for sewing either fringe style, click here.
Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric, and embroider the design.
When you reach the step labeled "fringe" (Color Change #6), be sure to add the variegated thread to the machine.
If you would like to create looped fringe, wind a bobbin with water-soluble thread and sew the fringe portion. Charge back to a regular bobbin after the fringe step. Sew the next step (Color Change # 7) with a variegated thread as well - this step contains the stitches that hold the fringe stitches in place.
Using your embroidery software or machine, make a mirror image of the design to be used on the other side of the ornament.
Embroider the design as you did in the previous step.
Once both designs have been embroidered, turn the design over to the backside and use a seam ripper or small scissors to carefully cut through the bottom edge of the fringe stitches.
Turn the embroidery right side up, and fluff the fringe stitches with a seam ripper or point of pair of scissors.
Carefully trim away the excess stabilizer.
Align the designs together, right sides together, and pin in place.
Draw a box around the back of the design using a straight edge.
Measure and mark 3/4 inch around the box and draw lines connecting the marks.
Cut around the outer lines, going through both layers of fabric.
Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the bottom corners, the sides, and the top of the fabric. Leave about 1 1/2 inches open on the bottom for turning.
Turn the ornament right side out and add coordinating hanger, string together puca shells at the top of the ornament.
Stuff the ornament with fiberfill. Fold the allowance of the opening over 1/4 inch and hand sew it shut.
Optional:
Add small jingle bells to the ornament by hand sewing around, or directly on, the embroidery design.
Mele Kalikimaka! (Hawaiian Christmas greeting)
