Trivet Ornament (In-the-Hoop)

This in-the-hoop creation is twice as nice! Stitch this design using your choice of fabrics, then leave it flat to use as a trivet... or tie together the edges to create a unique ornament. We'll show you step-by-step how to make this creative and versatile project!

When you download an in-the-hoop ornament trivet design, you will find multiple files. One is an embroidery file, 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 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 enough copies so you can cut out each shape.

First, spray one side of a piece of Insul-Bright with temporary adhesive. Smooth the Insul-Bright onto the wrong side of the back piece fabric.

Then spray the back side of the printed back piece dieline with temporary adhesive, and smooth it onto the right side of the back fabric.

Cut the back dieline shape out of the adhered fabric and Insul-Bright. Then remove the paper dieline.

Next spray the back of all of the remaining paper dielines with temporary adhesive. Then smooth them onto the right side of the appropriate fabrics.

Cut out all the remaining dieline pieces. These should only be fabric, and should not have Insul-bright on the back.

Once all the fabric pieces are cut to the correct shapes, its time to embroider the design.

Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer. Madeira E-Zee 1.5 oz or Floriani Tearaway Medium are good choices. Those brands are more fibrous, less like paper, and will tear more cleanly.

Attach the hoop onto the machine, and load the embroidery file (not the dieline files).

Use a 75/11 sharp sewing needle instead of an embroidery needle. The sharp sewing needle has a finer point, and it 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 are on the stabilizer where the fabric will be placed.

After the dieline has sewn, remove the hoop from the machine, but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray the wrong side of the first fabric piece (here it is the front piece) with temporary adhesive. Place the fabric on the stabilizer inside of the sewn dieline.

Then place the hoop back onto the machine, and embroider the tackdown for the previously placed fabric piece. A tackdown holds the fabric piece in the place for the remainder of the design.

Then follow the color change sheet, until you reach the next dieline step (here it is the inside corner).

Repeat to remove the hoop from the machine, spray the wrong side of the fabric piece, and place it inside the sewn dieline. Then embroider the tackdown step.

Continue again to follow the color change sheet until you reach the next dieline step (here it is the outer corner).

Repeat again to remove the hoop from the machine, spray the wrong side of the fabric piece, place it inside the sewn dieline, and embroider the tackdown step.

Continue to follow the color change sheet, and place each fabric piece inside of its dieline before sewing its tackdown step.

Different trivets have different fabric pieces, so look at the color change sheet carefully.

Once all the front fabric pieces (not the back side with the Insul-bright) are tacked down into place, embroider all of the inner details. Make sure to stop before sewing the "back piece tackdown" step.

Before sewing the "back piece tackdown" step, remove the hoop from the machine, do not unhoop the stabilizer, and turn it over so the back side of the embroidery is facing up.

If you want your trivet to have a hanger and ties to turn it into an ornament, now is the time to add them. If you only want to use the design as a trivet, you may skip adding the hanger and ties if you prefer.

To add a hanger onto the trivet, cut a length of ribbon 7" long, and make it into a loop. Then tape the loop into place at the top point of Santa's hat.

To make the ties, cut six 6" long ribbon pieces.

To place the first ribbon ties, measure 1" down from the corner point with the loop, and tape the one 6" piece there.

On the same side, measure 1/2" up from the bottom corner on the same side. Tape a ribbon there as well.

For the middle ribbon tie, measure between the two placed ribbons to find the center, then tape the ribbon tie in place.

Remember this number so you can mirror the placement on the other side.

Repeat to place the other three ties on the opposite side following the same measurements.

Tape the ribbons down to the sides of the hoop before returning the hoop to the machine. This will keep them out of the way as you embroider the back piece tackdown.

As all the bobbin stitching from here on out will be seen from both sides, wind a bobbin to match the remaining thread color use in the design.

After the ribbons are in place, spray the wrong side of the back piece with temporary spray adhesive, and smooth it inside the shape on the back side of the embroidery.

Return the hoop to the machine, and embroider the back piece tack down and finishing seam.

Once the embroidery is finished, carefully tear the excess stabilizer away from the outside of the trivet.

To tie the trivet ornament into a cone shape, lay the ornament face down and fold the two sides in until they meet in the center back. Tie each pair of ribbons into a bow.