How to Assemble an In-the-Hoop Candy Holder

Make special moments even more magical with an in-the-hoop stuffed candy holder! They have ears made out of stiff felt. Follow along with the step-by-step project instructions below and learn how to make your own.

When you download the in-the-hoop candy 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 backside of the printed dieline pieces with temporary adhesive, and smooth them onto the right side of the fabric. 

Cut the dieline shapes out of the fabric.

Remove the paper from the front of the shapes.

Hoop a piece of tearaway stabilizer firmly so that it is drum-tight. Make sure it is nice and taut with no wrinkles.

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 the dieline (or outline stitch) for the front fabric piece. This marks the area on the stabilizer where the fabric piece 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 front fabric piece with temporary adhesive. Smooth the front fabric piece onto the stabilizer inside of the sewn dieline.

To prevent the embroidery from sinking into the fluffy fabric, cut out a piece of light weight water-soluble stabilizer that is larger than the design (we used Sulky Ultra Solvy). Lay it over the front fabric piece and tape the edges down onto the hoop or stabilizer around the design.

Place the hoop back onto the machine and embroider the tackdown for the front fabric piece. The tackdown will hold the fabric piece in place for the remainder of the design.

Then embroider the inner details of the design. Make sure the water-soluble stabilizer stays in place while sewing. Stop the embroidery before sewing the "arm tackdowns" for the arm pieces.

Aftert the "arm dielines" have stitched, remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Carefully remove as much of the water-soluble stabilizer as you can. For Sulky Ultra Solvy, it is quite easy to ripoff as it will be perforated after stitching.

Spray the wrong side of the arm pieces with temprary spray adhesive to keep them in place along the inside of the stitched guidelines. 

Place the hoop back onto the machine and stitch the arm tackdowns. 

Next, the "guidelines" will stitch. Stop before sewing the "back piece tackdown".

The felt ears and antlers (if applicable) will need to be placed facing inward so they end up correctly in place when the whole design is turned right-side out.

Place them so they slightly overlap the outer edge of the front piece within the guidelines so the final seam can sew over them and hold them in place. Use masking or painters tape to ensure that the pieces stay.

Then spray the right-side of the back fabric piece with temporary adhesive. Smooth the back fabric piece in place on top of the front piece. The right sides of both fabric pieces should be together. Make sure to line up the edges of the two fabric pieces carefully on the front of the hoop.

For added stability, a piece of water soluble stabilizer can be added on top of the fabric pieces prior to the tackdown stitch.

Place the hoop back onto the machine and embroider the back piece tackdown. This will adhere the front and back pieces together. It will also leave a small opening along the edge for turning. 

After the embroidery is finished, unhoop the design and tear away all of the water-soluble stabilizer. Then, rip off any large areas of tearaway stabilizer. Removing this extra stabilizer will help make turning and stuffing your design easier.

To help the shape of the design look nice once turned, clip the seams around any curved or pointed edges in the design. Be careful not to cut your stitching.

Then turn the design right side out through the small opening. Remove all the tape remaining that was holding down any felt pieces.

Finally, fill the candy holder with stuffing (such as polyester fiberfill) through the opening left along the edges of the design.

To finish your in-the-hoop candy holder, use a hand sewing needle and thread to sew the opening closed.

Your stuffie is now complete! Slip the candy through the open slots in the holder's arms to give your friends and family both a sweet and adorable treat.