hand print Silhouette Wall-hanging

 

I made these a few years ago as a birthday gift for my mother after seeing something similar on tumblr. I loved the idea of capturing my children’s hand prints without the mess of plaster of paris (tried that!) or paint (also done that!) or even ink (did that too!) It also married my love of embroidery with my love for embroidery hoop wall hangings.  It’s an exceptionally simple craft!

Supplies for hand print Silhouette Wall-hanging:

• Embroidery hoop
• Embroidery Floss
• water soluble pen

1. Determine embroidery hoop size. I used 2 5-inch hoops for my girls and my oldest daughter’s hand just barely fit. Now I would need 1 5-inch and 1 8-inch.

2. Cut out a square of fabric 1 1/2 inches larger than the size of your hoop. Trace around child’s hand with a water soluble pen.  You could also include child’s name and the year if you like. I waited until my (then) 18 month old was napping to trace her hand, it helped immensely! 🙂

3. Place fabric in embroidery hoop. With a back stitch, stitch around hand print and name and date with 3 strands of embroidery floss in your desired color.

4. Take fabric out of hoop. Spray lightly with water to remove water soluble pen marks, press lightly on back side of fabric with low heat iron.

5. Take embroidery hoop and trace the inside hoop on a piece of white cardstock, cut out traced circle with scissors. (This will make your piece look “clean” without the stitching in the back showing through or any wall color. I also like to include the child’s name, age, and the date on the edge of the paper circle.) Place fabric back in hoop and then fit cardstock circle into hoop, pressing gently to back of fabric, trimming as needed to get a snug fit.

6. Trim around fabric, leaving about half of an inch. Sew large running stitches around outer edge of fabric with white thread and pull to gather excess in back. Keep taught and knot thread.  You’re done!