Finishing Your Hoop - Learn This Modern Embroidery Technique

This is an image of a finished embroidery hoop for The Florist pattern.

Introduction

Congratulations, you've completed your first modern embroidery piece, but now you need to know how to remove any markings and finish off your hoop so it can be hung on the wall. You've come to the right place to learn how!

This blog has all the tips and tricks you need to finish your hoop beautifully so you can hang it on the wall with pride.

Let's get into our tips and tricks, shall we?

This is an image of a completed embroidery project - Blooming Lovely.

How to Remove Transfer Pen From Your Finished Design

There are many different types of transfer pens, and they all have different ways to remove them. So I'll cover some of the most common types below.

Heat-Erasable Pens

When it comes to heat-erasable pens such as the Pilot Frixion Pen, removing pen marks is as easy as blowing a hairdryer over your pattern or ironing it.

Sometimes the pen reappears after you’ve gone over it with the heat source – just keep persevering, and it should disappear properly. A couple of goes usually does the trick.

Take care if you're using an iron - check it's not too hot, and if need be you can iron the underside instead of the top. But I usually just carefully run an iron directly over the stitching on the top side of the fabric.

Frixion pens can sometimes leave a faint line if you’ve drawn quite hard with them, but I’m sure it won’t be noticeable if you take a step back. Or you can try steam to remove any residue.

This is an image of the Pilot Frixion Pen.

Water-soluble Pens

If you have a water-soluble pen, like the DMC Embroidery Transfer Pen, then all you need to do is add water to your design, and the marks will disappear almost immediately.

You don't need to be precious about adding water to your design, it doesn't matter if it's soaking wet!

I would avoid trying to remove the pen marks by just dabbing water over the marks on your design - because I've found that sometimes when your design dries, you may notice blue smudges where you have dabbed. It seems like you've just moved around the pen around your fabric, rather than actually washed it away.

Instead, I hold my hoop under the tap with lukewarm water gently pouring directly on the pattern. This washes away the pen, you’ll see it instantly happen! If any markings are still visible, I just get my finger and gently rub at them while the water is running over the area, and the marks should disappear.

After I've got the pen off with water, I place my design on the bench and very gently pat it dry with a clean towel. Then I just leave it to dry overnight, and your pattern is ready for some finishing touches!

Just take care not to nudge any decorative stitches like Woven Roses out of shape during this process.

Air-Erasable Pens

If you're using an air-erasable pen, you'll just need to check what the instructions are for removing this pen. You'll most likely find that all you need is hot air, and the pen marks should disappear!

Framing Your Embroidery

Once you've completed your first work of embroidery art, you’re going to want to frame it for all your friends and family to see!

But before you do this, you'll need to tidy up the fabric.

I love the look of displaying embroidery in a pretty plastic or classic wooden hoop, so here’s a simple hand sewing technique to tidy up that mischievous fabric at the back.

Step 1.

Embroidered patterns look best when the fabric is lovely and tight and smooth in the hoop. And it’s super tricky to do this once you’ve done the finishing steps we go over here.

So go around the entire hoop, pulling any slack in the fabric out, and tightening the screw as you do.

If your hoop can be tightened with a screwdriver, do this now.

Step 2.

Flip your hoop over so that your design is face-down, then trim the fabric hanging outside the hoop, so it’s about 30mm wide.

A hand cuts around the outside of the fabric, preparing to frame an embroidery creation.

Step 3.

Take some spare thread, and cut it to a length that's easily longer than the circumference of your hoop.

Starting at the top of the hoop near the clasp, bring your needle through the fabric to the underside of the hoop. And pull through the slack so that there’s a tail of about 5cm or more hanging out on the outer side of the fabric.

Step 4.

Now do a simple running stitch around the circumference of the hoop. Running stitch is one of the most basic embroidery techniques, which involves stitching the thread up and down through the fabric at even intervals as you go.

When you do come back around to where you started, leave the tail once again on the outer side of the fabric, near your starting tail.

A hand sews around the outside of the fabric, preparing to frame an embroidery creation.

Step 5.

Now you can pull both ends of the thread together tightly (but not too tight, as you don’t want your thread to snap), and you’ll see how the fabric comes together and bunches on the underside. Isn’t that cool? You can now see how the excess fabric will be hidden away at the back when your hoops are on display.

Step 6.

All you need to do now is to tie your two ends of the thread together tightly. Try to keep as much tension on as you can when you do this. I just do a couple of simple square knots, then trim the tails. It’s just that easy!

If you find that the fabric is pushing against the front (display side) of your hoop once you’ve finished, then you have a couple of options. Both involve redoing your running stitch, but if it’s bugging you then go for it!

1. First, you can cut the excess fabric shorter (which is a bit trickier to do the running stitch around, but totally doable).

2. Or second, place a round piece of cardboard on the inside of the hoop.

A hand holds up a finished and framed embroidery creation.

Your hoop is now ready to be put on display or gifted to a loved one, and it will look super neat and tidy on the wall.

Three Maker's Academy festive alphabet embroidery creations hang on the wall.

Maker's Academy DIY embroidery creations and woven wall hangings hang on the wall.

Conclusion

So there you have it, all the beginner techniques and knowledge you need to beautifully finish your first modern embroidery pattern. And these tips and techniques will be used and built on over and again as you make more patterns on your embroidery journey.

I’m so excited for you!

What's next?

If you enjoyed this pattern, you may also enjoy my Modern Embroidery Foundations Course.

This course takes you through all the beginner techniques and knowledge you need to make your second beginner pattern, Little Wildflower Meadow! Plus, it includes a beautiful second pattern, Blooming Lovely, which is a fantastic place to practice your newfound skills.

I would totally recommend this course, as it covers more modern embroidery techniques than this blog and you can also do it at your own place. Plus, this is a great way to hold yourself accountable for your own me-time and continue on your path to becoming a hand embroidery superstar.

If you liked this article, then you may also like this one,

What Essential Supplies do You Need to Get Started in Modern Embroidery?

So, are you excited to hang your modern embroidery creation on the wall?

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