Embroidery hoop picture frame!

I recently got all these great pictures of my family and I wanted to do something nice with them. Simply framing them wasn't going to do it!

This is a really easy and attractive way to mount pictures. I love the look of embroidery hoops, and you can customize the "frame" embroidery any way you like. Plus, using embroidery to frame the picture is a really nice way to remember my grandmother. She was a sewing superstar!

I'm going to be giving this to my mom pretty late since I won't make it home until the end of the month, and the surprise will probably be blown since she has an ibles account. Oh well. Hope you like it, mom! :D

Step 1 What you'll need!

• Copies of photographs. I scanned in the originals and printed out duplicates on glossy photo paper. I recommend 4x6 or 5x7 for this project so that you can easily fit them into an embroidery hoop!
• Fabric glue - I use Fabri-tac because it's my favorite and dries very quickly!
• 7-10 inch embroidery hoops. You can do wood or plastic. I chose wood because I don't know that my mother will enjoy day-glo colors on her wall. ;)
• Embroidery floss
• Embroidery needles
• Small, sharp scissors
• Air soluble marking pen and/or transfer sheets and/or iron on transfers
• Fabric to embroider on - because this is a very lightweight project, cotton quilting fabric will be fine. I chose white.
• Iron & ironing board
• scrap jar, as pictured below. I use an old mason jar. You'll be making a mess otherwise. :)

Comments

[msjamiep]

I love this embroidery hoop wall art!! It looks amazing. I hope you don't mind I've featured it in my embroidery hoop wall art round-up hub which you can see here:

http://jamiebrock.hubpages.com/hub/Frugal-Home-Decor-Embroidery-Hoop-Wall-Art?done


Thank you for sharing your beautiful work here!

[porcupinemamma]

Nice!

[jorta]

Great question, Goodhart, but I think that is one of the best reasons a copy of the original is used. If the copy becomes faded while in the frame, it can be replaced with a new one and the old stitch pattern can be followed around the edges. I had been wondering what to do with a lot of my own family pictures and this is a real winner! Thanks jessyratfink!

[Goodhart]

Very nice. Is there any way to keep the pictures from fading (because of exposure to the air & sunlight directly)?

[jessyratfink]

I'll probably be coating it with a sealer, something like this:
http://www.createforless.com/Envirotex+Spray+Sealer+High+Gloss+Clear+12.5+oz/pid131120.aspx

I couldn't find any when I went to Joann Fabrics the other day, so I need to try somewhere else. I also used stuff like that when I was still painting and it always worked for me. :)

[Goodhart]

Hey Jessy, just for kicks n grins I searched my area for it.....I only found one place that carried it here: Hancock Fabrics _{I'd never even ever heard of the place, but it is just down the road a piece *shrug*.}

Online, I found much better prices then the $7.29 list BUT postage and handling may chew up that savings.

I found fthese using the FIND

[jessyratfink]

Oh! I have one of those right next to where I work. I'll have to stop by after work Monday and see if they have it! :D

[Goodhart]

Cool ! I hope they do :-)

[Browncoat]

Good idea!

[jessyratfink]

Thanks! :)

[Doctor What]

Those are amazing! I never thought to use embroidery loops like that before!

[jessyratfink]

I'd seen people put pretty fabrics in them and display them, but I couldn't find anything like this. I thought about doing it with iron-on transfers, but those always turn out pretty crappy. :P