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Puff Foam Embroidery

Puff Foam Embroidery

Puff foam is a gorgeous way to add depth and texture to your embroidery. The raised area gives a three-dimensional look to the design. Follow along and we'll show you how to take your embroidery to the next level!

Supplies & Materials:

- Embroidery design specially created for use with puff foam - we're stitching the Enchanted Tree (Puff Foam) design

- Fabric to embroider

- Temporary spray adhesive

- 2-3 mm puff foam

- Embroidery thread

- Medium weight cutaway stabilizer

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- Enchanted Tree (Puff Foam)

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Green fabric, roll of white stabilizer, spool of white thread, can of Gunold KK100 temporary spray adhesive, and a white sheet on a wood surface.

Puff foam is sold specially for embroidery; craft foam will work as well. To minimize show-through, choose a sheet of foam that's close in color to your thread.

Image of a white spool of thread standing upright on a blank white sheet of paper, placed on a wooden surface with visible grain.

Spray a piece of medium weight cutaway stabilizer with temporary spray adhesive, then smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer taut together

Square piece of green fabric laid flat on a wooden surface, with slight wrinkles and frayed edges on two sides. No embroidery or other visible details.

Begin stitching the design. First the background detail will sew -- stitch this as usual, without puff foam.

Embroidery machine stitching white puff foam design with floral and swirl motifs on green fabric, close-up of needle and presser foot in motion.

Before stitching the "puff detail" section, lay the puff foam in the hoop, over the design.

Brother Innov-is embroidery machine stitching white puff foam onto green fabric held in an embroidery hoop, viewed from above at an angle.

Continue embroidering the design. The needle will perforate the foam while stitching

Embroidery machine stitching a swirling floral design on white fabric with green fabric background; Innov-is sewing machine brand visible.

After the foam section has finished stitching, remove the foam. In this example, the design is complete; there are no more sections to embroider.

Close-up of a green fabric in an embroidery hoop with white puff foam being peeled back to reveal a raised, intricate white embroidered design underneath.

Remove any remaining bits of foam with tweezers.

Hand holding tweezers lifting white puff foam embroidery from green fabric, showing raised, intricate scrollwork tree design.

You can also hide the foam by pushing it into the satin stitch with the point of a small pair of scissors.

Close-up of hand holding embroidery scissors cutting white puff foam embroidery in a tree and swirl design on green fabric background.

Your design embroidery is complete!


It's OK to wash you project as you would normally, but air dry. Avoid dry cleaning, as the chemicals can make the foam dissolve.


Puff foam is a beautiful way to add dimension and interest to your creations!

White puff foam embroidery in the shape of a stylized, symmetrical tree with swirling branches and roots on green fabric in an embroidery hoop.