Embroider a woodland mobile: ITH ornaments step by step

A woodland mobile combines four small ITH projects into calm room décor: fox, deer, fir tree and mushroom are made largely inside the embroidery hoop, then turned, stuffed and suspended with space between them.

The current Make ma! set is designed for a 10 × 10 cm hoop and includes all four designs plus instructions. Confirm the machine file format before starting and follow the supplied colour sequence exactly.

Materials and preparation

• embroidery machine with at least a 10 × 10 cm embroidery area
• ITH woodland files in the format required by your machine
• firm tear-away stabilizer and small fabric pieces
• embroidery thread, suitable bobbin thread and a fresh appropriate needle
• stuffing, hand-sewing needle and ribbon or cord

Embroider the ITH ornaments

Hoop the stabilizer smoothly without stretching it. Load the correct file and check size, orientation and colour sequence in the preview. The first sequence normally marks placement; position each fabric layer exactly as the product instructions show. Remove the hoop from the machine between stages without taking the stabilizer out of the hoop.

Turn, stuff and close

1. Stitch placement and tack-down lines in the specified order.
2. Add front and back fabrics with the stated side facing correctly and secure them outside the stitch area.
3. Keep the turning gap open and trim the ornament evenly after the final sequence.
4. Turn with a blunt tool. Fill small corners first and distribute stuffing lightly and evenly.
5. Close the gap by hand. Check seams, hanging loop and thread ends before use.

Assemble a mobile or garland

Arrange all four pieces on a table first and balance their spacing and weight. A mobile needs a secure support and strong connections; always hang it out of reach of babies and young children. For simpler assembly, attach the animals to a garland or use them individually as gift or bag ornaments.

Use safely and vary the design

Change colours and fabrics to suit the room without adding much more bulk than the instructions allow. Long pile can hide outlines, so make a test stitch. Review the basics of an ITH project and find your machine’s file format. The four designs are available in the ITH woodland set.