How to Make Christmas Ornaments With an Embroidery Machine

You can make seasonal, embroidered ornaments at home.

Christmas is a great time to display your embroidering skills. Embroidered Christmas ornaments are fun, eye-catching and offer a remarkable variety of design possibilities. You can create designs for enhancing wreaths, bells, angels, tree-toppers and a host of other holiday season decorations. You can even embroider your Christmas ornaments with festive and inspirational messages.

Things You'll Need

• A glass ornament shape (such as a bell or an angel, etc.) measuring 4-inches tall
• Ribbon, 1 yard long and 1/8-inch-wide
• Bobbins threaded with embroidery fabric
• Water-soluble stabilizer (WSS)
• Large-eye tapestry needle
• Lace ornament cover design
• Size 11 sharp needle

Instructions

Sew Your Pattern

1. Hoop a single layer of water-soluble stabilizer (WSS). Sew two, similar design patterns on it. Use a size 11 sharp needle to embroider the lace.

2. Un-loop the embroidery pattern upon completion and snip out the extra WSS.

3. Soak the embroidery patterns in water for approximately 15 minutes to take the stabilizer off.

4. Remove the patterns from the water and use a paper towel to dry the lace.

5. Begin working on the damp embroidered lace right away. It will mold better.

6. Stitch the pieces by hand at the widest points on both sides to make a circle, with the right side of embroidery pieces facing each other. Turn out the right-side.

7. Arrange the lace circle around the ornament. Remember the lace cover’s straight ends will be on the top side of the ornament.

8. Thread a narrow ribbon into the tapestry needle and weave it through the top loops of the ornament cover.

9. Sit the glass ornament into the center of the decorative cover and pull the ribbon through the loops tightly. Once properly secured, tie a dainty bow with the ribbon atop the ornament.

10. Gently pull the bottom points toward the center to stretch it if you desire a full ornament cover.

11. Use the remaining threaded ribbon to weave through the bottom loops.

12. Pull the ribbon to draw the bottom loops together. Tie a knot and trim away extra ribbon.

13. Stitch beads or pearls at the bottom ends to enhance the embroidery. You can weave a different color ribbon through the open spaces across the embroidery pattern, if desired. Also, try pasting some marabou feathers around the ornament to add a refreshing look to the glass ornament when it glows.

Tips & Warnings

• Select large lace designs for ornaments measuring 4 inches tall or having a circumference of 12 1/2 inches. Medium embroidery design will fit an ornament measuring 3 inches high or with a circumference of 9 7/8 inches to 10 3/16 inches. Small embroidery lace will enhance the beauty of ornament measuring a size of 2 1/2 inches high or 8 inches wide circumference.

References

• Embroidery Library Projects: Ornament Covers