One of my favorite crafting projects to do is hoop art. I like the craft because it can be used as a simple wall art or as a technique for the base of another project. I have used hoop art as wall decor, making pillows, designing stuffed animals, fabric drawstring bags, and more. It is one of the simplest one could do plus, beginner and kid-friendly. Most hoop artwork is done using embroidery string for those who like to embroider. I hand embroider and I use felt for most of my projects.
It is as simple as drawing a picture or writing a name, phrase, or quote on your fabric of choice. Once you’re satisfied with your design, you then cut the fabric to the closest size of the hoop you have or want to use. Separate the hoop by loosening the screw and pulling them apart. The smaller hoop is placed down first, the fabric, and then the larger hoop- tighten the screw so the fabric is tight and stretched. You now begin to thread or stitch over your design being careful to not get the thread tangled because it will be a complete nightmare. When you finally get the hang of it, it will be a piece of cake. Once you’ve finished the design you can either cut or fold the excess fabric to the back of the hoop and cover the back with a piece of felt to hide the stitching. This would be the method for wall art. Of course, you’re able to paint the hoops prior, add gems, or even ribbon to make them cute.
Using felt is a little different but also easy. Instead of drawing or writing on the fabric, you leave it blank. Use whatever colored pieces of felt you want, cut out your designs, and place them on the fabric as you envision. You then thread or stitch the felt along the outside of each shape starting with the bottom piece first. Upon completion, you can either close the back as stated in the previous paragraph or you can use it to make a pillow, blanket, or whatever else. I may actually make another post going more in-depth with that process because it’s fun, not too time-consuming, and the outcome is pretty amazing. Stay tuned for that!
As I’ve stated in the past, I will not go too much in detail with these crafts because there’s plenty of tutorials all over the web. Should you have any questions, I’d be more than happy to assist via the Contact form.
