Embroidery is beautiful but is really becoming a lost art. When some people think of embroidery they think of their grandma’s needlework on hankies. In fact, your lovable grandma might have even left you some embroidery supplies, like thread and hoops. The thread probably isn’t much good after all these years but those hoops sure can be useful. There are lots of things you can make from embroidery hoops and, if you already have them, that’s a real plus. If you have none, they’re not expensive, and you can find them at craft stores and some discount department stores.
When you use two different-size embroidery hoops you can make a cute Thanksgiving turkey, which you’ll want to display, year after year. An embroidery hoop is actually two hoops. One is slightly smaller than the other. You remove the larger one, lay your fabric on the smaller one, then reposition the large hoop over the small one. There’s a tiny screw on the top of the large hoop and, when you twist it, you tighten the two hoops to form one – with the fabric trapped between the two. So, take apart your two hoops and you’ll quickly make that Thanksgiving turkey to hang on the wall.
Choose a fabric to represent the color of the turkey. The fabric shouldn’t be too thick. Good colors include tan, brown, yellow, or orange. Cut a piece for each embroidery hoop. Lay the fabric on the appropriate hoop and tighten the ring around it. Do this to both hoops.
Glue one of the embroidery hoops to the other to create the body and head of the turkey. Just position the small hoop on top of the large one so that two-thirds of the small hoop is on the large one. Glue in place with hot glue or another suitable adhesive.
Cut two circles of black felt and glue them onto the small hoop to create the eyes for the turkey. Cut a yellow triangle for a beak. Cut a waddle from red or orange felt. The waddle can have the shape of a flat, wooden ice cream spoon, or even the shape of a deflated balloon. Glue it beside the beak.
Cut colors of felt into simplistic feather shapes, and glue them to the underside of the large hoop, so that the feathers stick up above the hoop. Cut tiny feet shapes for the bird, from black felt, and glue them to the backside of the large hoop, so that they hang down below the hoop.
The finished turkey is just adorable and can hang on a wall anywhere in the house. It’s such an easy project – and cheap, too – but you end up with a cute Thanksgiving decoration that you’ll display for many years.
Embroidery Hoop Turkey