Follow along with these step-by-step stitching instructions to recreate this candy cane hand embroidered ornament! You can find the PDF pattern download at the bottom of this page.
Supplies Needed:
- 3 or 4 inch embroidery hoop
- Cream colored fabric (a cotton linen blend is my go to, but 100% cotton works great too)
- Embroidery needle
- Scissors
- Listed DMC Embroidery Floss colors
- Transfer Pen (I like to use the Pilot Friction Erasable Gel Pen. The ink appears black when you apply it to the fabric & once you’re done stitching you simply hit it with some heat, like a blow dryer, and all the ink disappears leaving a clean stitched hoop! This pen takes the stress off of having to achieve a picture perfect transfer.)
- Optional: wood stain of your choosing to alter the color of your embroidery hoop
- Access to a printer to print this pattern (Find the PDF pattern download at the bottom of this page)
Recommended DMC Embroidery Floss Colors:
- DMC 712
- DMC 920
- DMC D3821
Before You Start:
Before you start stitching you will need to prepare your embroidery hoop, this is quite simple, you’ll just need to-
- load your hoop with fabric
- & transfer the pattern onto your fabric. There are multiple ways to do this like using a transfer pen (The Pilot Friction Erasable Gel Pen), carbon transfer paper, stick and stitch paper, or printing the pattern onto your fabric at home using your own printer and sticky label paper. Any method will get the job done, but if you’re a beginner to hand embroidery and aren’t sure which option to choose or don’t have the supplies readily available you can totally just use a pencil and a light source, like a window or iPad screen to transfer the pattern. Once your pattern is transferred onto your fabric you are ready to start stitching!
Stitching Instructions:
Follow along with the step-by-step directions below to recreate this embroidery hoop. Each step will indicate how many strands of thread to use, the thread color to use, and the type of stitch to use. Each written stitching step corresponds with the image below it. Feel free to stitch-a-long with me over on YouTube too!
Please Note: DMC Embroidery Floss is made up of 6 strands, you will need to split the floss accordingly. For example, if the pattern says “2 strands DMC 123,” you will cut a stretch of DMC 123 and separate 2 strands from the other 4 strands (which makes the 6 strand total). You will then stitch with just the 2 strands.
- Using all six strands of DMC 712 Backstitch all of the candy canes. (Technically we will be using the Whipped Backstitch for these candy canes, but for the first step of the Whipped Backstitch you will just use the white embroidery floss).
2. Using all six strands of DMC 920 now you will use the Whipped Backstitch to complete the candy canes. Don’t they look so fun?! I love using the Whipped Backstitch to embroider candy canes : ) Feel free to mix and match and make other colored candy canes too!
3. Using two strands of DMC 712 add a French Knot for every dot on the pattern. I think these little French knots look like fluffy little marshmallows, popcorn, or perhaps snow : ) I think this embroidered ornament looks so cute and simple as is, you could definitely finish it off just like this! However I got a bit curious and wondered what this Christmas embroidery hoop would like if I added some gold…
4. Using DMC D3821 add a bow to each of the candy canes. To create a bow-
- I first made a Lazy Daisy Stitch on either side of the candy cane,
- I then added a Straight Stitch across the candy cane to connect the two Lazy Daisy Stitches,
- and lastly I added two diagonal Straight Stitches hanging down on either side of the bow.
I think they turned out so cute and it’s so fun to see them sparkle in the light! This completes the stitching phase of our candy cane ornament!
Time to Finish!
All that is left to do is to back the embroidery hoop ornament. Since this ornament is going to be hanging on a Christmas tree I think it is best to back the embroidery hoop with felt to give it a nice clean finish. In addition to this, it will also help block out any Christmas lights that might try to shine through the piece.
To back an embroidery hoop with felt:
1. Simply grab an extra strand of thread and use the Running Stitch to stitch around the border of the fabric that’s been hanging out of the edges of the hoop this whole time. Once you’ve made it all the way around the fabric pull on both ends of the strands of thread. This will tighten and pull your fabric together. Then you’ll want to double knot the strands together to secure it and trim the excess thread.
2. Then you will want to take a piece of felt (I like to use the soft felt) that is the same size as the inner embroidery hoop and attach it to the back of your piece. To do so, grab another strand of thread that is long enough to wrap around the border of the hoop and create a knot on one end of the thread. Thread your needle and begin to attach the felt to your fabric on the back. I like to do this in a spiral pattern. This means around the border of my felt and fabric on the back I go down through my felt and fabric, pull the thread all the way through, then go back down through the edge of the felt and fabric, and just keep repeating this until your felt is fully attached. Then you just double knot, trim your threads, and you are done!
Thanks for stitching with me! I hope you enjoyed this little Christmas embroidery pattern, if you’re looking for other fun DIY holiday embroidery patterns, be sure to check out the patterns in my etsy shop here!