Hand Stitched Love Hoop | DIY Tutorial

The Valentine's Day countdown is totally on and I had big plans of setting up a little entry hall vignette  to decorate for the holiday. However, currently we are rearranging all three bedrooms upstairs, transitioning my youngest from a crib to a bunk bed with her sister, pretty much gutting and redoing the entire office, and redecorating the living room and kitchen. Oh, and don't forget I am in the middle of planning my other daughter's 5th birthday party! So, yeah, the fun and whimsy Valentine's Day vignette may or may not ever happen. That doesn't stop me from showing you a fun project that I made to hang in said display though, lucky you!!  

Supplies you'll need:

• an embroidery hoop
• fabric
• a square of felt
• straight pin
• pinking shears
• pen/marker (disappearing ink would be best)
• crochet thread & needle

The entire inspiration for this project was the hot pink embroidery hoop that I picked up from JoAnn's last week!

Start by laying your hoop down on the right side of a piece of fabric and trace a circle around the hoop leaving an inch or so that will be your "skirt". Cut the circle you've just drawn out with a pair of pinking shears. Pinking shears cut the fabric in such a way that you won't have to deal with running threads plus it makes it look pretty and decorative. Insert your cut out fabric circle into your hoop, pulling taught, and tighten the frame.

Next, fold your felt square in half and free-hand cut a heart shape - we're bringing back the kindergarten craft skills today!

Pin your felt heart to the center of your fabric embroidery hoop.

Thread your needle with a long length of crochet thread. Tie 3 good knots in the end of the thread and starting from the back of the fabric start hand stitching your felt heart into place.

When you are done stitching the heart on tie several knots in the thread on the back of the fabric and trim the thread.

You will most likely need to pull your fabric through the hoop tightly again, as it will loosen while you are stitching.

You can be completely done at this point or you can add on as many embellishments as you'd like!
I added some hand stitched initials (for me and the hubs) as well as a little triple ribbon bow to the top.

I gave this to my husband to see if he'd like to take it to work. Would you believe he said that he thought it would look better in the house than in his office?? His loss, my gain!
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