Crystal Art Embroidery Hoop

I have a pile of embroidery hoops in my garage and decided to put them to work. Because I don't exactly have time to whip out a needle and thread these days, I went for a short cut - crystals and sequins! Perfect for this time of the year, right? 

Read on to see how I did it using Tulip Glam It Up Iron-On Crystals and Fashion Sequins!

First, you're going to need:

- An embroidery hoop. For this project, I suggest a large one, it is easier to manage for your words.

- Fabric, simple is better for seeing your words.

- Chalk, pinking shears

- Tulip Fabric Marker

-Tulip Glam It Up Iron-On Crystals 

- Tulip Fashion Sequins

- Tulip Fashion Glitter Bond

Next, you want to pick out a phrase. I started with a long phrase and realized that would take me forever to cover in crystals. So I whittled it down to two words that pack a punch! I used chalk to draw out the letters to make sure they were centered, then I went over the chalk with a Tulip Fabric Marker.

I store all my crystals in a clear shoe box! Time to break out the goods. I noticed I had one box that was filled with a bunch of mixed up colors, I decided to use that for my project.

Here's a trick to using these iron-on crystals. Use a nail file to push them in the area you want, you may have to flip some of them over. Do a section of a letter at a time and don't sneeze!

Carefully cover with a pressing cloth, and with your iron heated to high, press the iron firmly over the area. Do not run the iron back and forth, just pick it up and press. Remove the cloth and if you want, you can press the iron directly onto the crystals. 

Let cool, then work on a new section, until all your letters are covered.

For my second word, I used another form of sparkle - Tulip Fashion Sequins! I outlined the letters, one-by-one with glue, then carefully pressed a sequin in place.

Here's a close-up shot of the sequins, just because they are so pretty!

Let it dry, then add the hoop and use pinking shears to trim around the edges.

And there you have it! You could write your name, or whatever you want!

Thanks for checking out my project! See more of my crafty ideas at CraftyChica.com!