Finishing your embroidery hoop

Did you embroider a piece of art that you would like to put on display by hanging it on the wall, or putting it on a standard? Then it's important to fold your remaining fabric to the back of your hoop, neatly, and finish it as such. In this article, you'll read how to do so.

Finish your embroidery hoop

1. Place your embroidery hoop on a flat surface.
2. Trace around your hoop, marking a line on 2 cm. To do so, I used a seam allowance gauge and a chalk pencil because I was drawing on dark fabric.

3. Use your dressmaking shears to cut around the edge you just drew.

4. Take some leftover thread that is long enough to sew around your embroidery hoop at least once. Some leftover Coton Perlé is perfect for this.
5. Thread your needle, and tie a knot at the end of your thread. Don't hesitate to make it a double or even a tripple knot.
6. Cut your knot's tail.
7. Use a running stitch to sew around your embroidery hoop. Do this about 1 cm next to your hoop, and make stitches that are about 1 cm long. If you're working with a smaller embroidery hoop, it's ok to use shorter stitches.

8. Pull your thread as you're moving forward. You'll see that your fabric will start folding in to the back of your hoop.
9. Almost finished? Turn your work, so you are facing the back. Continue with your running stitch until you've gone round completely, and pull your thread until your fabric is tight.

10. Do you still have some thread left? Continue with your running stitch and go round again. This will help to fold your fabric tightly. Move towards the outside of your fabric, about half a cm next to the stitch you made earlier.
11. Pull your thread as much as you can without breaking it, making sure your fabric is folding nice and tight. Tie a knot in your thread, and tie it as closely to your fabric as possible.
12. If you want, you can also attach your personal label to the back now.

Finished! Sometimes you'll see that people also sew a piece of felt against the back. Personally I don't think that's necessary, I like to be able to see what the back looks like. How about you?