Niche Stitches The Muppet Christmas Carol Cross Stitch First Progress

What has everyone been up to lately?

I recently started a fun new cross stitch project. I haven't gotten very far yet as I've also been working on some little retro bauble designs, and haven't found much time or energy to sew yet this month, but I just had to show you the patterns in case anyone else needs to make them, too. I haven't been able to take decent photos yet as the weather has been dismal, so please excuse they awful, badly-curated phone photos, taken while I was stitching in bed last month.

The cross stitches I'm working on are these amazing The Muppet Christmas Carol patterns from Niche Stitches on Etsy. As soon as I came across them last Christmas, I fell in love with them and had to buy them immediately. The Muppet Christmas Carol has been one of my favourite Christmas movies since I was little, and we're always quoting it in my house, so I just couldn't resist.

The design is made up of two separate patterns to frame as a pair. I've started with Gonzo, but the PDF includes downloadable patterns for both Gonzo and Rizzo, which is really good value for under £8. They're very easy to follow, and you also get a full list of recommended DMC threads for each one to help you kit yourself out.

One thing I feel that I should point out is that the listing makes them appear like they're Christmas-tree-ornament-sized, but you'd need a very high count aida to achieve that. On standard 14 or 16-count aida, they're going to be closer to 7 or 8 inches tall, so that's something to bear in mind if you choose to make them. I'm working on 16-count white aida, so they'll be a decent size, but hopefully still small enough to not look too tacky when they're framed.

I'm so excited to get working on them, and eventually be able to hang them up with the rest of the decorations every Christmas. That definitely won't be happening this year, but I'm hopeful I'll have at least one of them done by the next one. I just need to keep my sewing mojo long enough to finish them! I'm hoping that it'll stay around for a while, and that I can find some time to get stuck in these next couple of weeks.

I'll be sure to post updates of my progress on Instagram as I go along.

Have you made anything yet this Christmas?

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Pixels and Purls Floral Ghost Halloween Embroidery Update

Halloween has been and gone, but spooky season is all year round! Or so I'm going to lead you to believe, so I can justify posting a belated progress photo of my Halloween embroidery. Haha!

I've been working on the cutest ghost embroidery from Pixels and Purls this autumn, but I didn't manage to finish it on time, as I ran out of red thread a few days before Halloween. I'm still waiting for a new skein to be delivered so I can complete it, which is so frustrating as I only have a flower and a half left to stitch, and a few corrections to take care of.

But this is where I'm at.

Although it's not finished, I'm really pleased with how it's turned out so far. I'm still pretty new to embroidery, and hadn't even attempted half of the stitches before, so I don't think it came out too badly for a novice. We just won't speak of how much of a mess I made of the long-and-short-stitch ghost! (I thought my stitches were straight... apparently, I was wrong. So very wrong). Luckily, it's only noticeable close up.

I also struggled to get the hang of the fishbone-stitch flowers, and ended up unpicking and redoing them with four strands instead of two as they were so taking forever. I think I got there, in the end, but I still need to redo a couple of petals on the left. 

Thankfully, I did much better with my first attempts at the stem and woven wheel stitches, and particularly enjoyed sewing the woven wheel flowers- they were so therapeutic to weave! (Maybe I need to try weaving?!) I need to redo one of the orange ones, because I slipped with the scissors when trimming threads from the French knots at the back, but other than that, I think they came out really well.

I also made a design choice, and painted my embroidery hoop orange to tie it all together, and I think it compliments the embroidery perfectly. I used acrylic paints, starting with a coat of white underneath to make the orange paint pop, and it was so quick and easy to do. It's amazing the difference a little bit of colour makes to the overall look of the piece.

I love the design, and the contradiction of spooky and pretty. I fell in love with it the moment I came across it while looking for a new pattern to make after Easter, and couldn't resist buying the PDF of the pattern immediately. It also comes as a full kit, and as a  printed fabric panel, so there's the perfect format for everybody. I found the pattern and instructions really simple to follow, and they're clear enough for even a beginner to make sense of, so don't be afraid to give it a go!

I think I'll definitely be going back to try other patterns from them in the future... but right now, it's time to move on to some festive cross stitching.

Have you stitched or made anything fun lately?

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Cotton Clara It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year Cross Stitch Kit Review

My cross stitching mojo had been missing for the longest time, but it's returned again lately, and I've already finished a couple of small projects this December.

My most recent finish was the Cotton Clara It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year cross stitch kit, which was such a fun and easy little make. 

I picked the kit up during the summer when it was on sale, but it's one I'd had my eye on for a couple of years. The design looked so fun and colourful, and I thought the finished hoop would fit in perfectly with my Christmas decorations, so I couldn't resist.

I started it in late November, and it only took about fifteen minutes per letter. I mostly stitched three or four of them at a time, whenever I could spare an hour to sew, but you could stitch this one out in a day, if you've got the stamina. The stitching took about eight hours altogether, and it was one of the simplest, most low-stress things I've ever made!

I still need to finish the back so that I can hang it- which I plan to tackle this weekend- but that shouldn't take long to do.

I'm really pleased with how it turned out, although, I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of the fluorescent or golden-brown threads mixed with the others, so I might make the pattern again in prettier colours in the future.

It's the perfect kit to make during December because of how low-commitment it is. It's ideal for those new to cross stitching, but equally great if you're more experienced, and just want something fun you can quickly knock out in a couple of evenings in front of the TV.

The kit comes with everything you need to make it, including threads, aida (fabric), an embroidery hoop, the pattern, a needle, ribbon, and felt and a wooden circle for finishing up the back. All you need is a pair of embroidery scissors, and something to cross off the chart with as you go along. 

All the materials are fantastic quality, and I think it's excellent value for money. You can find it at Cotton Clara, Etsy, and John Lewis, and Not on the High Street.

Have you crafted anything yet this Christmas?

P.S. I wanted to take photos to show you the materials and finished cross stitch in better detail, but I've not been well enough, so apologies for this single crappy iPhone photo. If I didn't post this now, we'd have had to of waited another year. I'll try to update them after Christmas.

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Satsuma Street Deck The Halls Christmas Cross Stitch

A couple of Christmases ago, I began stitching Satsuma Street's colourful Deck The Halls cross stitch wall hanging, and a few weeks ago, I finally finished it! 

I'm so pleased to finally have it completed after all this time, and I'm really happy with the end result- especially as I had to make a couple of colour changes, and struggled to figure out what to do with it near the end.

It should have been a fairly quick project, and I was close to completing it last Christmas, but I stopped and started it, couldn't decide which colour thread to use for the snowflakes, and took ten months to make it down to Hobbycraft to choose. So something that could've taken me a month to stitch, ended up taking two years. 

I was drawn to the Deck the Halls pattern because of how unique and colourful it was. It's so different to all the other Christmas designs you see at this time of year, and while it has a Scandinavian feel, it's nothing like the typical red and white patterns that are everywhere at Christmas time. (Which I'm sooo bored of these days). It's bright, colourful, and cheerful, and I love that about it.

It's made up of five main sections, including a star, reindeer, Christmas tree, dove, and bell as the centrepieces, with smaller flowers, snowflakes, and arrows making up the rest of the design in lots of reds, greens, yellows, and pinks. It's been designed so that you can stitch it as one long wall-hanging picture, or as five separate pieces, which is really clever. I obviously chose to make it as one picture, but I think it would look just as beautiful broken up in to five. If you're new to cross stitching, you'll probably find it less intimidating that way, but it's an easy project with no complicated stitches or patterns, and anybody should be able to make it once they've mastered the basics.

The pattern comes as a full-colour downloadable PDF, with an easy-to-follow chart, and a list of recommended materials to help you get started. Satsuma Street suggest using a natural-coloured Evenweave, but that didn't appeal to me aesthetically, and I chose to make it on 16-count white aida to make the colours pop, and so that the end result would be a little larger. I'm so glad I did, as I personally think the colourful threads look so much better against the white background.

The only issue with using white aida is that there are white threads in the pattern, which obviously blend in to the fabric. I tried lots of different colours in place of white- cream, lemon, lilac, blue, silver, and more- but I didn't like any of them, and became chronically uninspired. I ended up putting the cross stitch aside last Christmas for ten months, until I finally made it down to Hobbycraft in October to shop for some new threads to try. In the end, after trying more colours, I went back to white for the lines through the arrows, and blended a strand of white and a strand of turquoise for the snowflakes. I'm not 100% happy with the colour choice for the snowflakes, but it's the best I could do, and I like to think it works with the other colours in the picture. Either way, I refuse to change them again. I actually got the picture framed last weekend, so there's no going back now!

Despite the colour-matching issues at the end, overall it was so much fun to sew, and has to be one of my favourite makes ever. The colourful projects are always the most fun to stitch. If you're looking for a modern, colourful cross stitch picture to make this Christmas, I couldn't recommend it to you more.

I now want to try more of Satsuma Street's patterns, and have bought their set of Christmas baubles patterns, which I'm going to begin as soon as I get a spare second. I don't expect to get very far this Christmas, as there's always a million other things to do, but I'm sure I'll keep you updated on my progress on Instagram.

Have you cross stitched or crafted anything so far this Christmas?         

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The Make Arcade Gingerbread Man Christmas Cross Stitch Kit

I stitched the cutest little gingerbread man cross stitch ornament last December, but never found the time to post a photo of the end result anywhere, so it's time for it's debut. Better late than never, right?

This little gingerbread man kit came from an English brand called The Make Arcade who are known for their fun, colourful little craft kits, which are suitable for beginners and advanced crafters alike. I've made a few of their Christmas cross stitch ornaments in the past, and enjoyed them so much, I couldn't resist going back for this one two Christmases ago. It's cutesier than my usual style and much smaller and simpler than what I usually stitch, but his little face won me over, and I knew it would be a fun, quick project to sew while watching Christmas movies with the family.

I stitched it over a couple of evenings in front of the TV, and think it took about seven or eight hours of sewing to complete. It may only be a three inch design, but they take longer than they look! Once the sewing was done, I finished the back by cinching in the aida with a running stitch, and gluing on a circle of hot pink felt, which was provided in the kit. I also glued a yellow pom pom trim to the outside of the hoop. This wasn't part of the set- unlike the other three Make Arcade ornaments I made which came with pom pom trims- but something I purchased from Paperchase so it would match the others. Oddly, it also didn't come with some ribbon to hang it with, which is annoying, and I still haven't got around to buying something suitable. I must get myself down to Hobbycraft before Christmas so I can hang it. I don't understand why The Make Arcade have stopped supplying ribbons in their kits. It's such an inconvenience.

The kit comes with everything else you need to make it, including the aida (fabric), a three inch wooden embroidery hoop, threads, a needle, felt, step-by-step instructions to help beginners get started, and of course, the pattern. You'll just need some sewing scissors and something to cross the chart off with as you sew, and you're good to go. (A glue gun and glue would be helpful for attaching the felt, but you can sew it on instead. I just glued it on as I was being lazy). It all comes presented in a little cardboard box with a hot pink sleeve, so it would make a lovely present for any crafter this Christmas.

The Make Arcade seem to have updated their gingerbread man cross stitch kit design for Christmas 2021 (and I personally don't think it's as cute), but this design is still available to purchase from John Lewis here. I'd recommend it to anyone who wants a fun, quick cross stitch project to enjoy this Christmas.

Have you cross stitched anything lately?

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DIY Pastel Pom Pom Easter Crackers

Last Easter, I made some pastel-coloured Easter crackers to make our family Easter meal that little bit lovelier. I never did find the time to blog about them last year, but I saved the photos and thought I'd show you them today in case you fancy making some of your own this Easter weekend. (Of course, it's a little too late to purchase cracker kits in time for Easter now, but you could download a cracker template from the Internet and print your own on some colourful card).

My family and I always have an Easter roast on Easter Sunday and I like to make our table look as colourful as possible, so I decided to make crackers in a variety of pastel colours to compliment our colourful, mismatched Easter table linens and crockery.

I bought a selection of single cracker kits in lavender, pastel yellow, pale blue, and flamingo pink from the craft and party supply website, Little Crafty Bugs, who stock a wide variety of inexpensive cracker kits in different colours and sizes for every event imaginable. Their cracker kits are so good I've repurchased several times over the last few years whenever I've made crackers for Easter or Christmas, and even put in another order last week to make another batch for tomorrow's Easter meal, which I'm hoping to make later today. I then picked up some small pom poms from Hobbycraft, and chose satin ribbons in contrasting pastel colours from my stash to decorate them with. For the filling, I decided to treat everyone to some caramel chocolate bunnies from Hotel Chocolat (which are just amazing), and also bought a scratch card to pop in each one. (Sadly nobody won the gold). Then I got to work.

The crackers were so easy to make, and as I kept the designs simple, they didn't take long to make at all. I think I made all six in under half an hour. The process is really simple, and here's how to make them if you'd like to give cracker making a try. 

How To Make These Crackers

What You'll Need

♥ 1 cracker kit per person.

♥ 2 lengths of ribbon per cracker. (I used satin ribbons from Hobbycraft).

♥ 2 pom poms per cracker.

♥ Scissors.

♥ Hot glue gun and glue.

♥ Mini chocolate Easter bunnies, eggs, or whatever contents you desire. (I used caramel chocolate bunnies from Hotel Chocolat).

♥ Confetti (optional).

What To Do

1. First, take your flat-packed cracker, and stick a cracker snap in place with Selotape length-ways down the centre of the cracker.

2. Push out all of the diamond card pieces from the diamond cut-outs.

3. Roll the card in to a cylinder shape, and slot the three tabs in to the three slots.

4. Take a length of ribbon, and positioning it under the diamond cut outs, cinch it in and tightly tie it in place. This will pull in the end of the cracker and create the traditional cracker shape. Cut the ends of the ribbon diagonally to prevent them from fraying.

5. Place a paper crown and a joke in to the cracker, and drop in your confetti and contents. I popped caramel chocolate bunnies from Hotel Chocolat and a scratch card in mine, but you could add in whatever small treats you like.

6. Tie up the other end of the cracker by repeating step 3.

7. Heat up your glue gun, and glue a couple of pom poms along the centre of the cracker. Leave to dry for a couple of minutes. And voila, you're done!

Simple as that.

As well, as making pastel Easter crackers for our meal, I also made a couple more in rose pink and yellow, which I sent to my sister and brother-in-law in their Easter parcel last Easter.

The crackers seemed to go down really well with my family, and they were just so fun to make. I think they added a little something extra to our Easter dinner table, and definitely brightened up the table. And let's face it, who doesn't love snapping open a cracker full of chocolate?

I liked these pastel pom pom crackers so much, I think I'm going to do something similar with this year's Easter crackers. I obviously couldn't get scratch cards to put in them this year, but I have managed to pick up some more Hotel Chocolat Easter chocolates online to give my family a treat. I'll be sure to post a photo of them on my Instagram, so keep an eye on my grid and stories this weekend if you'd like to see what I come up with.

Have you ever made Easter crackers for an Easter meal or party?

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Vendula London Le Bicyclette De Vendula Box Bag Review*

*AD- This post features a bag I was sent in exchange for a review. As always, all words, thoughts and opinions are my own and have been written 100% honestly.

When it comes to fashion, I've always had a weakness for handbags. Some women adore shoes, others love diamonds, but for me, it's always been about the bags. I love all kinds of different styles, but, as I'm sure most of you will know by now, I have a particular fondness for novelty designs and anything colourful. The quirkier the better.

One brand I have long admired for their quirky bags and purses is Vendula London, the British brand known for their iconic shopfront bags, so when they recently got in touch and invited me to review a bag from their new season collections, I couldn't have been more excited. Of course I said 'yes!'

Vendula London sent me the beautiful La Bicyclette de Vendula Box Bag* from my short list of favourites, and when the bag arrived on my doorstep a couple of days later, I was instantly blown away by how stunning it was. It was even more beautiful than I had imagined it would be, and it unsurprisingly attracted much jealousy from my Mum and sister who both keep trying to steal it! I can't say I blame them, but they won't be prising this bag from my hands any time soon- I love it too much to let go!

The La Bicyclette de Vendula Box Bag is a beautiful sky blue and cream vegan-leather bag featuring one of Vendula London's brand new shopfront designs for 2019- a charming bicycle service and repair shop! I thought there couldn't possibly be any shops left for Vendula London to immortalise in to handbags, but they've gone and proved me wrong with this wonderfully unique design. A bicycle service and repair shop bag?! I really have seen everything now!

Like Vendula London's other iconic shopfront bags, whose handbag establishments include everything from post offices to pubs and chocolateries to toy shops, the bag has, obviously, been designed to look just like the front of a shop. The top of the bag has been made in to the shop's awning in scalloped stripes of blue and cream, but the pièce de résistance is the shop's window display which is filled with amazing detail that has to be seen to be believed. I notice something new every time I look at it.

If you peek in the shop's window, you'll be transported to the sweetest bicycle repair shop you ever did see. On the left, there are shelves filled with storage boxes, cans of oil, and a blue bicycle helmet hanging above a red applique air machine. To the right, is a work station with tools hung on the wall above a table with a pink bike helmet sitting on top, and a couple of stools and storage boxes sitting neatly underneath it. Best of all, hanging from the shop's ceiling in the centre is a cheerful yellow bicycle and a sky-blue penny farthing, both with black trim, complimenting the pink applique vegan-leather bicycle with a wicker basket full of greenery parked on the pavement in front of the shop. The colourful bikes are easily my favourite parts of the design- they're so darn cute!

The detail doesn't stop there; look closer still, and you'll see a sign for 'service & repairs' in the window, and find the shop walls are painted cream with a sea of cogs outlined in sky blue faintly embossing the lower half of the shop. If that wasn't enough, the arch of the window is framed with a garland of colourful flowers sewn on to the leather, and beside the bicycle on the cobbled-grey pavement is an embroidered pot plant with an applique pot.

To the right of the window, the black and cream door is filled with colourful signs advertising 'REPAIRS DONE WHILE YOU WAIT!', 'SAME DAY REPAIRS', 'BICYCLES FOR RENT', and 'FREE AIR & OIL.' And hanging from the wall above the door by two little black plastic chains, is a crimped circular sign proudly advertising the shop's name, La Bicyclette De Vendula, in black, white, and pink so you know where to go for all your bicycle maintenance needs. The amount of detail that has gone in to this bag is just incredible.  

If you thought the attention to detail was reserved for the front and outside of the bag, think again; Vendula London have given the back and inside of the bag just as much care and attention.

On the back of the bag, you'll find a bright yellow and black tandem bike parked in a bike rack, just waiting to be taken out for a spin, and there's also a small zipped pocket large enough to store your phone or keys safely away from pick-pocketers against your body.

The inside of the bag, in both the main compartment and the back pocket, has been lined with a fun London print, which is made up of iconic British paraphernalia like red telephone boxes, the Queen's guards, black cabs, post boxes, double decker buses, London Underground signs, penny farthings, and more on a cream cotton background. The print compliments the outer design perfectly, and if you're anything like me, you'll find yourself admiring it each time you reach in to the bag to grab something. It's almost as pretty as the outside!

You'll also find a zipped pocket for keeping valuables secure, and a generously-sized mobile phone pocket that should fit even the largest of today's smartphones sewn in to the lining in the main section of the bag. 

The bag itself has been handcrafted from high-quality vegan-leather which looks and feels just like thick, good-quality leather, but with one simple difference- no animals were harmed to make it, which is fantastic! I admit I do buy leather products from time to time, but as a big animal lover, I prefer buying cruelty-free alternatives as much as possible because I hate the thought of animals suffering for fashion. It's so unnecessary when there are amazing cruelty-free options to shop from, like this one, and it's just one reason why Vendula London's products appeal to me. 

Aside from the design and the quality, what I love about this bag is that it is the perfect size for every day use. It's neither too big or to small, and has more than enough room for the essentials. I can fit everything I need in it for a day on the go- including my chunky bridge camera and a book- with room to spare! I judge a good day bag on whether there's room for a paperback and my camera along with my other essentials, and the box bag definitely passes the test! It's the ideal size for everything from shopping trips to work, and sight-seeing to just doing the food shop in style.

Another detail which attracted me to the box bag is that it has an adjustable shoulder strap which can be worn on the shoulder and across the body, depending on your mood, outfit, and needs. I love having the option to sling a bag over my shoulder when my arms are tired, or I just need my hands free for other things.  The best part is the vegan-leather strap can be adjusted to seven different lengths, and it's long enough to wear comfortably. I'm 5'6" and if I wear it on the shortest notch on my shoulder and the longest notch across my body, the bag sits comfortably on my hip and top of my thigh respectively. Whether you're short or tall, slim or plus size, this bag should fit almost everybody comfortably, which is fantastic. There's are few things I hate more than finding a beautiful bag and then discovering the strap isn't long enough to be comfortable or practical. Well done, Vendula!

Now, it's unlikely that I will put this bag down long enough for it to gather dust, but if I do, I won't have to worry about it getting dusty because like all Vendula London bags, it comes with its own bright pink dust bag to keep it looking its best when its not in use. They really have thought of everything.

The Le Bicyclette de Vendula box bag retails for £78, which I personally think is really reasonable for a handcrafted bag of such high quality, especially with all that applique and embroidery detail which takes time and skill to create. I couldn't be more impressed with it; it's stunning, it's quirky, and fantastic quality, and I know I'm going to be using it for many years to come. You can find it on their website here or if you're in London, why not check it out in person in their Covent Garden store?

If the box bag isn't your style, the Le Bicyclette de Vendula design comes in a wide range of different styles, with another six bags and seven wallets and purses to choose from, all featuring this beautiful blue and cream bicycle repair shop. The collection includes Vendula London's coveted grab bag, an interchangeable backpack, and the loveliest little coin purse, with prices starting at just £19. You can shop the full collection here and of course, browse the rest of their fabulous designs on their website now. I promise you won't be disappointed.

What do you think of the design? Will you be buying anything from the collection this spring?

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*AD- This post features a bag I was sent in exchange for a review. As always, all words, thoughts and opinions are my own and have been written 100% honestly.

DIY Easy Christmas Hoop Art

Merry Christmas Eve, everyone!

I can't believe it's Christmas Eve already; where has this month gone?? December has just flown by this year, and I've been so busy preparing for Christmas, I've barely had a chance to stop and enjoy it. I wish time would slow down a little! I haven't even managed to get in to the Christmas spirit yet. For some reason, I'm just not feeling it this year.

I'm sure all that will change today, as Christmas Eve has always been one of my favourite days of the year. My sister and brother-in-law are arriving home from Germany this morning with their dog, Mia, and I'm planning to spend the next few days enjoying Christmas at home with my family, and having a well deserved rest after a hectic month. After I finish the last few errands today, I'm fully intending to watch lots of Christmas movies, eat my body weight in delicious food, spend some quality time with the family, and maybe even push the boat out and play a board game or two. I can't wait!

I'm sure most of us will be busy wrapping presents, prepping food, and travelling to spend Christmas with our families and friends today, but I wanted to squeeze in one more Christmas craft before Christmas Day. You probably won't have time for any last minute crafting, but if you're looking for a fun festive project to make over the next few days, or need some unique last minute Christmas gifts or decorations you can easily make by hand, I have one last Christmas craft I think you're going to love. And that's my easy DIY Christmas fabric hoop art.

I recently realised that while I've featured photos of my hoop art on my blog and social media pages before,  I've never shared a tutorial on how to make them, so I thought it was about time I did.

I started making my own hoop art a few Christmas ago by framing patterned fabric in simple wooden embroidery hoops, sometimes adding embroidery but often leaving the fabric plain, and finishing the backs with some felt, I find the process and end result so satisfying, I haven't been able to stop making them since! It's such a fun and simple craft to make, but they look so effective and make a great statement on any wall- especially when multiple hoops are displayed together in a big group. A hoop art wall will certainly add a unique and personal touch to your Christmas decor, and is sure to be a conversation starter with your guests this Christmas.

Hoop art doesn't just make great Christmas decor, but can also make lovely presents for friends and family, too- especially those who appreciate crafts, and handmade presents. You can even personalise them for the recipient by using fabric and colours relating to their likes and interests, and embroidering their name, a quote they love, their favourite things, or even their pet(s) on to the fabric. A piece of hoop art would make a lovely stand-alone gift, or you could also add one to stockings, hampers, or even Christmas Eve boxes. It's up to you to decide how to gift them. Hoop art doesn't even have to follow a festive design if you don't want it to- you can use non-festive fabric and create them for any occasion throughout the year! To date, I've made lots of Christmas and Easter hoop art, and even some colourful designs for every day, too. The hoops in the photos are a selection I've made over the years using fat quarters from Hobbycraft. (You can find the polka dot fabric here).

If you'd like to learn how to make your own hoop art, follow my super easy DIY below. (Step-by-step photos coming soon).

How To Make Christmas Hoop Art

You Will Need

♥ Embroidery hoops in various sizes. (The hoops I used range from 3 to 10 inches).

♥ Christmas print fat quarters / fabric.

♥ Felt.

♥ Scissors.

♥ Fabric pen / pencil. (If you don't have one a pen or a pencil will do).

♥ Sewing needle.

♥ Thread.

♥ Glue gun and glue stick. (Optional).

How To Make a Piece of Hoop Art

1. Gather your supplies.

2. Iron your fabric until it's completely crease-free.

3. Take a piece of fabric and an embroidery hoop. Place the inner hoop underneath the fabric and the outer hoop on top, move them around until you find a layout you're happy with, and frame the fabric in the hoop.

4. Pull on the edges of the fabric and tighten the screw on the hoop until the fabric sits tightly in the hoop like the hide on a drum.

5. Trim the edges of the fabric at the back, leaving them about an inch long.

6. Thread your needle with two strands of thread, and use a running stitch to cinch in and secure the fabric at the back of the hoop. You could alternatively trim the fabric down further, and glue it tightly to the back of the hoop with hot glue.

7. Take a sheet of felt, a fabric pen, your hoop, and scissors.

8. Lay your hoop on to the felt, and draw around it.

9. Take your scissors and cut the circle out of the felt.

10. Now attach the felt to the back of your hoop. You can either sew it to the back of the fabric using a blanket stitch OR glue it to the hoop using a hot glue gun. You just want to ensure the felt is nice and taut once you're finished.

And voila, your first piece of hoop art is complete!

Yes, it really is that simple! There really isn't a lot to this style of hoop art, so even the most inexperienced crafter will have no trouble with this DIY.

If you're in a rush, or want to create some temporary hoop art just for the holidays, you can get away with not adding felt to the back of the hoops, as you aren't going to see the backs once they're on the wall. Leaving them unfinished will make it easier to switch up the hoops with new fabrics if you want to change them for different seasons, trends, or occasions. However, if your walls are a dark colour, the colour will likely show through the fabric as fat quarters are generally made of thin fabric, so finishing them with felt is always recommended. It will also keep your hoops looking their best for longer.

I've kept the majority of my hoop art plain and simple because I think the fabrics make a great statement as they are, but you could do so much more with them than I have. You could use any fabric you like, and add embroidery, sequins, buttons, beads, pom poms, present toppers, ribbons, and even applique other fabrics on top. As for the hoops, you could paint them in different colours, or wrap them in colourful threads, yarn, or even washi tape. You'll find so many amazing examples on Pinterest and Instagram that put mine to shame!

I wish I had painted or wrapped all of my hoops- adding some colour to the wood definitely gives them a little something extra. Lately, I've also thought about turning them in to baubles for the festive season by adding some light grey felt in the shape of a bauble hanger to the top of the hoops, but I haven't found the time to customise them this Christmas. I'm definitely going to give it a go next Christmas, though, and I'm already planning on making more elaborate designs in 2019 by adding embroidery and designs in other fabrics, so keep your eyes peeled for those!

To display your hoop art on the wall, play around with different layouts on a flat surface until you find one you like, and then you can start hanging them. Start from the centre point, and work your way out. I find command strips are perfect for hanging hoop art on concrete / brick walls, but you may need to trim them down for the smaller hoops. Of course, you could also hang them with nails or picture hooks etc., the choice is yours.

And that is how to make your own Christmas hoop art.

I hope you've found my tutorial helpful! If you decide to make your own hoop art, make sure you leave me a link to your photos in the comments below so I can check them out! I'd love to see any hoops you make.

Have a wonderful Christmas, and a very Happy New Year!

Have you ever made your own hoop art and will you be giving my tutorial a go?

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