What you’ll need
For the Treat Keepers:
- Materials as stated in the instructions for the “Easter Treats Keepers” pack.
For the Mug Rug:
- Embroidery thread as stated in the design sequence
- Medium tearaway stabilizer.
- 6” x 6” of the following:
- White Kona cotton for the embroidery
- 80/20 batting
- Cotton fabric for the backing
- 505 Temporary Spray Adhesive (TESA)
- Applique scissors
In addition:
- Lindee G has done a wonderful video on the Easter Treats Keepers.
- Here is the YouTube link to the video: https://tinyurl.com/5yff8ew6
Featured Designs
https://www.grandslamdesigns.com/in-the-hoop-easter-treat-keepers-embroidery-project?variant=1
https://www.grandslamdesigns.com/wheres-the-candy-embroidery-design?variant=1
Notes
- The treat keepers are not sold separately; however, once you stitch out one, you’ll want to make several of each kind!
- Use good quality felt. The craft felt is a bit light for the treat keepers.
Preparation
- Gather all the materials and press the fabrics.
- Print out the designs.
Treat Keepers
- Begin by stitching the Treat Keepers.
- Use the instructions that come in the pack; this is just an overview.
- Cut out the felt pieces.
- Cut out a piece of vinyl that will cover the opening.
- Hoop a layer of medium tearaway stabilizer.
Machine prep, hooping, and stitching
- Load the design on the machine.
- Load the thread on the machine and set the colors, putting in stops as designated.
- Stitch Color1, which is the placement line for the vinyl and felt.
- Remove the hoop from the machine and place the vinyl over the opening as designated.
- Pro Tip: if the machine has a “sliding” type embroidery foot, versus a hopping-type foot, the vinyl may stick to the bottom of the foot. Just slide a piece of white gift tissue between the foot and the vinyl and stitch as usual. The tissue will slide over the tissue.
- Stitch Color 2 to tack the vinyl down.
- Remove the hoop from the machine.
- If tissue paper was used, remove it at this point.
- Around the outside, trim away the vinyl close to the stitching line.
- Place down the felt.
- Stitch the remaining colors for the design front.
- Remove the hoop from the machine.
- Flip the hoop over so it is wrong side up.
- Remove the stabilizer from inside the vinyl circle.
- Place down the back felt pieces and tape in place.
- Return the hoop to the machine and stitch the last color(s).
Final Steps
- After the design finishes stitching, remove the project from the hoop.
- Trim away the felt from inside the vinyl window.
- Separate the back and front felt pieces and very carefully tear away the stabilizer.
- Follow the pack instructions for trimming the piece around the outside of the stitching line.
- Fill small food-grade cello bags with candies and insert into the belly of the Treat Bag.
Mug Rug
Machine prep, hooping, and stitching
- Load the design on the machine.
- Create a basting line around the outside of the design to fill the hoop.
- Insert the embroidery design.
- Copy and paste the basting line so it will so at the end to tack down the batting and backing fabric.
- Print the design.
- Cut the fabric and batting pieces.
- Press the fabric.
- Hoop a layer of medium cutaway stabilizer.
- Quarter fold the white Kona cotton.
- Place the hoop on a gridded surface.
- Using the marks on the hoop and lines on the grid, center the corner folded edge of the fabric in the middle of the hoop.
- Use the TESA to spray the stabilizer and then open up and press the fabric into place.
- Place the hoop on the machine and stitch the basting line.
- Stitch the design following the color sequence.
- Remove the hoop from the machine, but do not remove the fabric from the hoop.
- Flip the hoop over.
- Very carefully slide the tip of the applique scissors between the fabric and stabilizer.
- Trim away the stabilizer from around the design, inside the basting line.
- Place down the batting and then the backing.
- Tape the pieces in place.
- Place the hoop back on the machine and stitch the basting line to tack all the layers together.
Final Steps
- Remove the hoop from the machine and remove the fabric from the hoop.
- Fold back the top fabric and use the applique scissors to trim the stabilizer close to the basting lines.
- Flip the fabric over.
- Fold back the backing fabric along the basting line.
- Trim the batting to ¼”.
- Do this around all the edges.
- Now trim the backing fabric ¾” from the basting line around all the edges.
- Fold and press the edges of the backing fabric meeting the cut edge to the batting edge.
- Fold and press each folded edge again so the folded edge just covers the basting line.
- Clip or pin the edges in place.
- Edge stitch along the inner folded edge all the way around.
Conclusion:
Congratulations! You’ll have such fun stitching all these Treat Keepers and a matching Mug Rug. Whether for yourself or a gift, learning new ways to use embroidery designs increases your enjoyment of stitching. There is no doubt your project will be a “Grand Slam!”
By the “Grand Slam Designs” Team
By the "Grand Slam Designs" Team
