Gingerbread man and Christmas pudding ornaments

It’s time to deck the halls, so let’s make these cute, in-the-hoop gingerbread man and Christmas pudding hanging decorations.

You can use these to decorate the tree, your home, or even use them as very special present tags.

If you love this project and want to make paper versions too – then we’ve made this project for your ScanNCut too.

Materials – Christmas pudding

• 1 x piece 50 x 30cm (approx.) water-soluble stabiliser (fabric type, not film)
• 1 x piece of thin batting, 15 x 15cm
• 2 x pieces of brown coloured fabric, 15 x 15cm each
• 2 x pieces of white fabric, 10 x 10cm each
• 2 x pieces of green fabric, 5 x 5cm each
• 2 x pieces of red fabric, 5 x 5ch each
• Embroidery thread – to match your fabrics
• 1 x piece 10cm ribbon
  

Materials – gingerbread man

• 1 x piece 50 x 30cm (approx.) water-soluble stabiliser (fabric type, not film)
• 1 x piece of thin batting, 15 x 15cm
• 2 x pieces of gingerbread coloured fabric, 15 x 15cm each
• Embroidery thread – to match your fabrics
• 1 x piece 10cm ribbon

Equipment

• Embroidery machine
• Embroidery hoop
• Sharp, curved point scissors
• Masking tape
• Empty bobbins, each wound with thread matching the colours you’re using

Important note: Remember to change your bobbin with each colour change – you must have the same thread on the top and bottom.

Download the patterns here

How to

Step 1

Download the pudding pattern and transfer to your machine.

Step 2

Hoop two layers of water-soluble fabric.

Tip: we’ve used Brother’s magnetic frame for this project. It’s much easier to hoop, and prevents damage to fabric.

Step 3

Sew step 1, an outline of the Christmas pudding, using the brown colour of thread (remember to use the same colour thread on the bobbin). Take your hoop out of the machine.

Step 4

Fold and tape in place your hanging string or ribbon at the top, allowing the ends of the ribbon to extend 2cm into the top of the pudding.

Step 5

Cover the sewn-out shape with a layer of batting on one side. Stick onto stabiliser with two pieces of tape.

Step 6

Put hoop back into machine and sew step 2, another outline.

Step 7

Remove from the machine and trim the batting using the curved point scissors. Get as close to the stitching as you can, without cutting through the outline stitches. Take care not to cut your hanging loop!

Step 8

Cover the front and back of the stitch out with brown coloured fabric. Stick down with tape. Make sure to tape the back as securely as you can, but make sure the tape does not get in the way of the sewing.

Step 9

Step 10

Remove hoop and trim fabric to as close to stitching as you can get without damaging stitches or hanging hoop.

Step 11

Repeat these steps with the white, green and red fabrics, to add the sauce, holly and berries to your pudding.

Tip: remember to change the bobbin too with every colour change!

Step 12

After you have stitched out all the steps, remove from the hoop.

Step 13

Trim the water-soluble fabric to 0.5cm from the very edge of the pudding. Be careful not to cut through your stitches or the hanging loop. Remove the rest of the water-soluble fabric by dipping a cotton bud or ball in water and dab until all water-soluble fabric has dissolved.

To stitch out the gingerbread man

Follow the same instructions as the Christmas pudding, starting with step 1 and adding the fabric, trimming etc until the design is finished.