This kind of ornament makes a nice finish perfect for hanging on the tree or around the home. I’m putting a “glue warning” on this project for those of us that sometimes have trouble with getting it all over. Keep an extra piece of paper handy to wipe off glue and try as hard as you can NOT to get it on your embroidery!
First my pile of materials. (Not shown is some kind of trim for the edges.)
Decide the dimensions of the finished ornament. Add about 1/4 to 1/2 inch to all sides of the finished piece, or more if you prefer larger. Cut the matboards to this size.
Cut the fabrics about 1 inch bigger than the intended size on each side (for a total of 2 inches for each dimension).
Glue the quilt batting to one of the pieces of cardboard. This will be for the front. Let it dry all the way, or you risk the glue seeping out to your embroidery.
Next, use the tape to attach the fabrics to the mat board. It can be annoying lining the design up nicely, but it’s worth the time to make sure it is. I tape down the corners, then the sides. Pull firmly on the fabric, so isn’t loose on the front side. Miter the corners, so it’s less bulky around them.
I do the same for the embroidered piece, using a bit more tape to hold it down evenly. Note, make sure the tape doesn’t get too close to the edge or it will be hard to glue the pieces together in the next step.
Glue the two pieces together. Spread a layer of glue around the back side of your covered mat boards. Make sure it goes to the edges and corners, but preferably not over, especially if you plan to sew your trim in place. I put the two pieces together, then put the ornament down on a flat surface face up. I cover the embroidered surface with a folded towel, and put on some heavy books. Then let this sit until it’s all dry.
Now it’s time to attach the trim. You can choose to glue it on or sew it on. You can use pretty much any kind of trim, yarn, ribbon, or beads that you want. In this example, I couch down some soft cotton yarn. I like to leave my stitches a bit uneven.
I tuck the ends of the yarns a bit in between the two pieces to keep them out of the way.
I like to use beaded hangers for my ornaments. I usually use 2 strands of cotton floss and attach it firmly will several small stitches, then add the beads, and make several small stitches again before cutting the extra floss. And that is pretty much it!