Heirloom Applique Ornaments (In-the-Hoop)

Make the holiday season warm and cozy with these in-the-hoop ornaments! Cute patchwork details and an heirloom stitch edge create classic charm that will be treasured year after year. Follow these step-by-step instructions to stitch your own!

The in-the-hoop design we are demonstrating in this tutorial has three files. One is a full embroidery file. The other two are dieline files marked with the letters DL. Dielines are used to cut the fabric to the right shape and size. Certain heirloom quilt ornaments may have more or fewer dielines.

Open each dieline file with an embroidery software, and print it. If you do not have embroidery software, Wilcom TrueSizer is a free program to use.

Print five copies of the front dieline file. This will allow you to have all the paper dielines separate from one another, and make them easy to use.

Some in-the-hoop ornament designs in this style have simple shapes and fewer dielines. In addition to following this step-by-step tutorial, we recommend using the color change sheet that is specific to the ornament you are choosing to stitch. This will ensure that your fabric pieces are placed at the appropriate time throughout the embroidery process.

Make sure to print five copies of the front dielines, so each can be cut separate from the others.

Spray the back side of the paper dieline for the main front piece with temporary adhesive. Then smooth it onto the right side of the fabric.

Cut out the shape. Then repeat to cut out all the front applique pieces and the back piece.

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 onto the machine and load the full embroidery file (not the dieline).

Use a 75/11 sharp sewing needle rather than an embroidery needle. The sharp sewing needle has a finer point, and will make smaller perforations in the stabilizer.

Embroider the design. The first thing to embroider will be the "front dieline". This will mark the area on the stabilizer where the front fabric piece is to be placed.

Not all heirloom quilt ornaments have the same shape. Follow the color change sheet for your specific ornament to know when to place your fabric pieces.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the back of the front piece with temporary adhesive, and smooth it into place inside of the sewn dieline.

Then attach the hoop back onto the machine, and sew the "front piece tackdown" which will hold that fabric piece in place.

Next, embroider the "inner square dieline" on top of the fabric.

Remove the hoop without unhooping the stabilizer again. Spray the back side of the inner square with temporary adhesive, and smooth it into place inside of the sewn dieline.

Then embroider the "inner square tackdown" to hold the fabric in place. Next, embroider the "star dieline" on top of the inner square.

Place the "star" fabric piece, and then embroider the "star tackdown" to stitch it into place.

Follow the color change sheet, and repeat to add the rest of the applique pieces. Make sure to stop and place the correct fabric piece before sewing each tackdown step.

Once all the front fabric pieces are in place, the inner details will embroider.

Stop the machine before sewing the "finishing seam". Remove the hoop without unhooping the stabilizer, and flip the hoop over so the back side is facing up.

To add a hanger for the ornament, cut a piece of ribbon 7" long. Fold it into a loop, and tape it in place on the back of the embroidery with the raw edges inside of the shape.

Then spray the back of the back fabric piece with temporary adhesive. Smooth it into place on the back side of the embroidery.

As the embroidery for the "finishing seam" will be seen on both sides of the ornament, wind a bobbin with the same thread that is being used in the top needle.

Place the bobbin into the sewing machine, and embroider the "finishing seam" step.

Once the embroidery is finished, tear away the excess stabilizer from around the ornament.