How to Make a Laced Stand-Up Ornament from Your Stitching

This finish turns a stitched piece into a free-standing ornament with a clean, finished edge. It works for many shapes and purposes, and you control how bold or simple it looks.

What You’ll Need

• Finished stitching
• Two pieces of backing fabric or lightweight canvas (same size as stitching)
• Heavy thread (like upholstery or buttonhole thread)
• Needle sized for heavy thread
• Sewing thread to match
• Scissors or rotary cutter
• Sew-through buttons or small decorative accents
• Optional: thin craft foam or board for stability

Steps

1. Trim your stitching so there’s about 1/2 inch of fabric around the design.
2. Cut two pieces of backing fabric to match the trimmed size.
3. If you want more structure, cut thin craft foam or board slightly smaller than your stitching and set aside.
4. Place one piece of backing fabric face up, then center your stitching on it.
5. Thread your needle with heavy thread and begin lacing around the edge:
   go in and out through the stitching edge and backing fabric about 1/4 inch from the edge, keeping stitches evenly spaced.
6. Continue lacing all the way around until you have a loop of heavy thread framing the stitching.
7. Place the second backing fabric on top, aligning edges, and lace through all layers to secure them together.
8. Pull the lacing snug so the fabric layers come together nicely. Tie off the heavy thread securely.
9. Add sew-through buttons or decorative accents where you tied off the thread or at regular intervals around the edge.
10. If using craft foam or board for stability, slip it inside before completing the lacing or secure it with glue inside the finished ornament.

Quick Tips

• Even spacing in your lacing makes the edge look cleaner
• Use buttons or accents that match your thread for a coordinated look
• If your piece is small, hand sew only to keep control