Heirloom Stuffies (In-the-Hoop)

Fun and fabulous Heirloom stitch stuffies, made right in the hoop, are a creative way to decorate your home! Bright felt, colorful embroidery, and a classic E-stitch outline gives them a cute and crafty look

In-the-hoop stuffie 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. They're used to cut the fabric to the right shape and size.

Open the dieline files with embroidery software and print them.

If you do not have embroidery software, Wilcom's TrueSizer is a free program to use.

Spray the back of the paper printout with a small amount of  temporary spray adhesive and smooth it onto the felt.

Cut out the shape and remove the paper.

Repeat this process for the 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 file (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 sew is a dieline our outline for the front fabric piece.

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

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

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

An "E" stitch or blanket stitch tack down will sew next. This holds the front fabric in place for the remainder of the design.

All of the inside elements will sew. Follow along on the color change sheet.

On the color change sheet, look for the note that says "finishing seam." When you get to this section, remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Cut a piece of ribbon to 8" long.

Form the ribbon into a loop. Tape it in place on the backside of the back fabric piece, at the center of the top edge of the fabric.

Turn the hoop over and spray just the edges of the backside of the back fabric piece with temporary adhesive.

Place the back piece inside the shape on the back of the stabilizer.

Secure the ribbon loop in place onto the stabilizer with a piece of tape. This prevents the loop from being sewn over later on.

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

Use a size 11 or 75/11 sharp sewing needle, rather than an embroidery needle.

A sharp sewing needle has a finer point than an embroidery needle, and it will make smaller perforations in the tear-away stabilizer.

Attach the hoop to the machine and continue embroidering the design.

A tack down stitch will sew, binding the layers together.

Remove the hoop from the machine, unhoop the stabilizer, and tear it away. The outline stitches will be removed with the stabilizer.

Fill the ornament, using polyester fiberfill, through the opening.

Sew the opening closed by stitching along the original tack down seam.

Halloween variations are bright and colorful, and perfect for celebrating the spookiest season!