Treat Holders (In-the-Hoop)

Make holiday candies extra special with in-the-hoop treat holders! These patterned designs are stitched entirely in the hoop, and have a pocket to hold your choice of candy or treats. Makes a sweet gift for kids of any age!

When you download an in-the-hoop treat holder 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 back side of the printed dieline for the front of the candy holder with a small amount of temporary adhesive.

Smooth it onto a piece of felt.

Cut out the shape. Remove the paper.

Repeat this process for the back dielines and fabric.

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. This marks the area on the stabilizer for the front fabric piece.

Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Spray the back of the front fabric piece with a small amount of temporary adhesive.

Place the fabric right inside the sewn outline.

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

A tackdown will sew next. This holds the front fabric in place for the remainder of the design.

Then all of the inside elements will be embroidered.

On the color change sheet, look for the note that says "pocket tack down, outer border."

When you get to this section, stop the machine and remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the stabilizer.

Turn the hoop over.

To make a hanger, cut a 7" length of ribbon or yarn and fold it into a loop before taping it to the back side of the top back fabric piece.

Some candy holders have stiff felt pieces, like the reindeer antlers in our reindeer candy hugger.  Add the antlers to the back of the front piece before you add the back pieces to the hoop.

Be sure to place the bottom of the antler over the tackdown stitch. Make sure the antlers are evenly spaced apart, and place a piece of masking tape over the top of the felt, to prevent shifting.

Spray the back side of the bottom back fabric piece with adhesive, and place it inside the shape on the back side of the embroidery.

Next, spray and place the top half of the back piece over the bottom piece.

Make sure the top back piece is on top of the bottom back piece. This will make the back opening easier to use when putting candy into the holder.

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

Since both sides of the treat holder with be seen, wind a bobbin with the same thread used in the needle.

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

A tack down stitch will sew around the outer edge of the treat holder, followed by the finished satin edge. This binds all the layers together.

Once the embroidery is finished, remove the hoop from the machine. Unhoop the stabilizer, and carefully tear it away.

Fill the treat holder with candy and treats! Give as a adorable sweet gift, or use to create a fun candy hunt for the kids.