How to Make an In-the-Hoop Stitch-and-Turn Stuffed Ornament

In-the-hoop stitch-and-turn designs are a fun and dynamic way to decorate for Christmas, or to create ornaments that can be used year-round. Our step-by-step tutorial below will show you how-to stitch and assemble this type of design in-the-hoop.

When you download an in-the-hoop stitch-and-turn 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.

To prepare the fabric pieces, lightly spray the back side of the cut dielines with temporary spray adhesive. Carefully smooth these over the top of your fabric so that there are no air pockets. Cut out the shapes.

Hoop a piece of tearaway stabilizer. Load the full embroidery file and attach the hoop to the machine. The first thing to stitch will be the dieline for placement of your fabric.

After the dieline has stitched, remove the hoop from the machine but do not unhoop the stabilizer. Spray temporary adhesive onto the outer edges of the back side of the front fabric piece and place this piece right inside the shape.

Attach the hoop back onto the machine and continue with the design. A running stitch tackdown will sew next. This step will bind the fabric to the stabilizer. The details of your design will sew out next.

If you want to attach a ribbon to use your in-the-hoop design as an ornament, you will want to watch for the "back piece tackdown" step on the color change sheet.

To add a ribbon, remove the hoop from the embroidery machine when you reach this step.

Cut a piece of ribbon so that it is 8 inches long.

The ribbon will be added between the fabric layers with the ribbon centered at the top of the design. A tackdown will secure the ribbon. This step is demonstrated later.

Use masking tape to attach the ribbon to the embroidered front piece. Make sure the ribbon loop faces toward the bottom of the design as shown, so that the edges of the ribbon extend over the tack down stitch at the top of the design. Proper placement will ensure that the ribbon is secured to the ornament. If you are not attaching a ribbon you can skip this step.

Next, place the back fabric piece face down over the front piece. Place masking tape over the edges of the back piece to avoid shifting.

Reattach the hoop to your machine and continue sewing. The "back piece tackdown" will stitch next. This step binds the back piece to the front piece.

After the design has finished sewing, gently remove the masking tape and the stabilizer from around the stitching and within the design; the outer dieline will be removed during this step as well.

Remove any excess stabilizer from the front of the design and trim the fabric so that only a quarter inch seam around the design remains.

Turn the design right side out and fill the design with polyester fiberfill.

To complete the design, hand sew the open area closed.

Voila! You've created a beautiful plush in-the-hoop stitch-and-turn design.