There is a wall hanging framed in a large embroidery hoop that’s been in my kitchen for many years. It is admired by many and brings back happy memories of the day I purchased it from the maker while visiting the Amish community in Pennsylvania, USA – the home of quilt making. It is rather quaint and old-fashioned now, compared to the embroidery hoop art that is so popular at the moment.

This noticeboard is something totally different that you can do with your embroidery hoop, and if you get fed up with the colour it won’t take long to convert it around. Be creative and use whatever fabric and embellishments you can get your hands on to make your own version.

1 Place the inner hoop on the felt and draw around the inside with a fabric pen. Cut out and leave to one side.

2 Lay patchwork print and linen fabric right sides together and sew ½” seam. Open seam and press.

3 Fold down 1” hem on top of strip lengthways, press. Fold up 1” hem on the bottom, press. Fold strip in half again lengthways, press. Edge stitch each side of strip, press.

4 Lay strip across the main piece covering the seam. Stitch down at regular intervals, 4” apart, from the centre outwards.

5 Hand sew a running stitch all around the top edge of the main piece in coordinating embroidery thread.

6 Lay the main piece on top of the lining and baste (tack) all around the edge to keep the layers together. This is only necessary if your fabric is light cotton. A heavier fabric with more substance does not need to be lined.

7 Place the inner hoop on a flat surface, then place the main fabric piece on top, centering so that the top half is one third and the bottom half is two thirds. Place the outer hoop on top and push down. Tighten the screw to keep the fabric taut.

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8 Trim back the outer edge to about 2” all around. Clip into the edge at intervals. Glue the inside of the hoop, fold the edges over and stick down.

9 Use a small amount of PVA glue to dot around the edge of the felt. Place inside the hoop at the back.

10 To make Suffolk puffs, draw a circle on the wrong side of your fabric and cut out. Tie a knot in your thread and sew a running stitch all around the circle 1/8” in from the edge. Pull the thread to gather the fabric into the centre and secure with a knot. Add a button to the centre to finish. Make two more.

11 Glue Suffolk puffs to the hoop, hiding the screw. Then add the miniature pegs and some brightly coloured pins and hang up. CL

Materials

•16” embroidery hoop

•Faux patchwork print cotton fabric 13½” by 22”

•Linen fabric 9½” by 22”

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•Lining fabric 22” by 22” (optional)

•Felt 18” by 18”

•Strip fabric 4” by 22”

•Coordinating embroidery floss

•Miniature wooden clothes pegs

•Brightly coloured straight pins

  • •PVA glue

    • For further inspiration, follow Rosaleen’s craft blog at www.buttonbowlane.blogspot.ie