In-the-hoop Gift Tags
Label all your gifts this holiday season, and all sorts of occasions to come, with these colorful, quick-sewing, gift tags!
Use any fun fabric to give these gift tags a festive appeal. And, when you use muslin fabric on the back, you can easily write a personal message with a fabric marker or fine-point pen.
Supplies needed: ** Small piece of fabric (for front) ** Small piece of 100% cotton muslin fabric (for back) ** Tear-away stabilizer ** Cut-away stabilizer ** Spray adhesive ** 1/8-inch-wide ribbon ** Fabric marker or fine-point pen ** Craft knife Designs used: ** In-the-hoop Applique Gift Tags (X3587)
Instructions: The gift tag designs come with two files. One file will begin with the numbers "24" -- that's the embroidery file. The other file will begin with the letters "DL" -- that's the dieline. The dieline is used to cut the fabric for the front and back of the holder.
If you have embroidery software, open the dieline file, and print it at full size. This will be a template for the design.
If you don't have embroidery software, then hoop a piece of paper to embroider the dieline and make a template.
Load the "DL" file into your machine and embroider it onto the piece of paper.
To prepare the front fabric of the tag, make a "sandwich" of stabilizer, fabric, and the paper template. We are using a cotton print for the front fabric. Start by spraying a piece of cut-away stabilizer with a bit of adhesive, and smooth the fabric on top. Then use a bit of adhesive or masking tape to keep the template in place.
Cut out the shape.
To prepare the back fabric, make another sandwich of cut-away stabilizer, fabric and, paper template. Follow the same process as before -- use spray adhesive to temporarily bind the fabric and stabilizer together, and a bit to hold the paper template in place.
We are using 100% cotton muslin fabric for the back.
Now, with the gift tag pieces cut and ready, we can embroider the tag. Hoop a piece of tear-away stabilizer.
Attach the hoop to the machine, load the design (the file that starts with "24"), and begin embroidering the gift tag. The first thing that will sew is another die line.
After the die line has sewn, spray the stabilizer side of the front fabric "sandwich" with a bit of adhesive and...
...lay the "sandwich" directly inside the die line that has just sewn. Continue embroidering the design. A zigzag/tack-down will sew next. This holds the fabric in place during the embroidery.
Then, the inside elements of the gift tag will sew.
On the color change sheet you'll see a note that says "back piece tackdown." Stop the machine and remove the hoop. Now it's time to add the back fabric to the gift tag.
If you are planning to personalize the label, this is a good opportunity. You can do this after the tag is completed, of course, but if you make a writing mistake, at this point you can always cut another back piece.
Spray the wrong side of the back fabric.
Add the back piece to the backside of the embroidery.
The next parts to embroider will be seen from both the front and back of the holder. We want the bobbin thread to match the top thread for these remaining steps, so we wound a bobbin with the same thread that we're using in the top.
Put the hoop back into the machine, and continue sewing. Another zigzag/tack-down will sew. These stitches will attach the back fabric to the holder.
After the tack-down stitches are complete, an eyelet will sew, and a satin-stitch border finishes the edge of the tag.
When the design is finished sewing, remove the hoop and unhoop the stabilizer. Gently tear away the excess stabilizer.
Use a craft knife to cut a small hole in the eyelet. Be careful not to cut any of the stitches.
Cut a length of ribbon (we used about 8 inches) and thread it through eyelet. Search for Gift Tags at www.EmbLibrary.com!
Tie the tag to a gift package or gift bag, and have a holly jolly Christmas!
Click here for a printable version of these project instructions. You'll need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer. If you don't have it, you can download a free copy by clicking on the icon below.
