For each of our themed rooms, we like to have one idea dedicated to using up the scraps of fabric leftover from all the other projects. With the Stylish Baby Nursery, it's these adorable wall hangings. All you need is an inexpensive hand embroidery hoop, a square of fabric, a little glue or tape, and you're on your way to instant art.

Embroidery hoops for traditional hand embroidery are easy to find at your local fabric or craft store or online. The wooden ones come in the greatest variety of sizes, but are also the most expensive. We found some plastic ones that came in fun, bright colors – a perfect match for our Patty Young Andalucia fabric scraps.

1. First, pick your favorite fabric scrap. Take your hoop apart and use the inner hoop (the smaller of the two without the tightening screw at the top) as a template to figure out which part of the fabric's design you want to highlight as your art. Make sure the design will fit within the hoop the way you want it, and that you have at least 1" - 2" of extra fabric beyond the hoop. You'll need this extra fabric to wrap around the hoop.
2. Use the inner hoop to draw a circle on the fabric with a fabric pencil or chalk.
3. Cut around this circle, but NOT ON THE DRAWN LINE; cut all the way around about 1" from your drawn line.
   
4. Place the inner hoop on a flat surface.
5. Cover the inner hoop with your cut fabric circle, adjusting to center your design and/or make sure any directional prints are straight.
6. Loosen the screw at the top of the outer hoop, and place the outer hoop over the inner hoop with its fabric covering. Press down evenly and firmly, stretching the fabric and snapping the outer hoop into place over the inner hoop.
   
7. Tighten the screw.
8. Gently tug the edges of the fabric circle to make sure it's stretched taut. If the design doesn't look straight or centered the way you like it, simply loosen the screw and start over.
9. Once you have the fabric just the way you want it, wrap the extra fabric to the inside of the hoop and either glue or tape into place. We found glue worked best on the wooden hoops and double-stick tape worked best on the plastic.
   
   
   
10. Your new artwork is very lightweight and so will easily hang from a push pin or small nail.
    

Comments (4)

Deeky said:

... The old hoops are easy to find at a thrift store. I have bought handfuls for under a dollar to give away as finished gifts. Paint the wood or ribbon/lace trim can be used on the outside edge as well. A handful of oddly placed vintage buttons or cookie cutter shape. Googly eyes are fun if its in a kids room and out of reach of little ones. Accent a touch of the pattern with metalic or contrasting thread/ribbon/rick/rack. If its going in a kitchen make a bow of raffia, a nice farm house or rooster print with straw colored raffia is adorable. Enjoy this project with more than just kids decor. =)

March 18, 2011

KBartnick said:

... Funny enough I had this same idea last week when I recieved 8 hoops in different sizes from an aunt of mine. I'm glad to see that it works just the way I had thought!

December 15, 2010

Liz Johnson, Editor, Sew4Home said:

... This is truly instant art, I love it ... and believe me .... I tried a lot of glue on those plastic hoops before the lightbulb struck. Glad you enjoy the project.

September 04, 2009

Becky said:

... What a smart and cute idea! Glue on wood and double stick tape on plastic - I feel a little "doh!" Would never have thought about using double stick tape! Thanks!

September 03, 2009

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