Making Embroidered Patch-type Fridge Magnets

This is a really neat and FAST project for Halloween, showing how to make stunning LARGE fridge magnets. They can be used every day, but are especially nice for Halloween because the designs feature Halloween motifs - witches, pumpkins, owls, black cats etc.

For making these magnets, we've used Halloween Patches designs collection. Here is how the ready magnets look:

Required Supplies & Tools:

1. Patch-type Halloween embroidery designs
2. Water-soluble fabric (wash away stabilizer)
3. Sticky magnet sheets
4. Temporary spray adhesive (optional)
5. Embroidery thread in suitable colors (we usually use and recommend polyester thread)
6. Sharp applique scissors.
7. A piece of fabric a bit large than design size (for each patch). Make sure that the fabric is not slippery, and not fraying too easily.

Step-By-Step Instruction:

1. Hoop a piece of water soluble backing, insert the hoop into embroidery machine, load patch embroidery design and embroider the first thread directly on water soluble fabric. The purpose of this step is to outline the spot where you should later place the patch fabric base.

2. Place a piece of patch-base fabric over the backing, make sure that the fabric covers the embroidered contours of design. Optionally, you may spray a bit of temporary adhesive spray over the backing before putting your fabric on it, to make sure that the piece of fabric doesn't pucker while you're embroidering.

3. Embroider the second thread, like this:

4. When the second thread is finished, take out the hoop and cut fabric around the embroidery, as close to the edges as you can, using applique scissors:

5. Put the hoop back, and embroider the rest of design, following thread change list:

6. When the design is ready, unhoop the water-soluble backing and cut it's rough edges with scissors. Repeat steps 1 through 5 with all designs that you want to use for making magnets. One design for each magnet.

7. Wash all patches in warm water to remove the water-soluble fabric, and let them dry.

8. For each embroidered patch, cut a matching piece of sticky magnet sheet, slightly smaller than the design. To do this, draw an outline of each design on reverse side of magnet sheet, and cut the magnet inside the outline.

9. Remove protective paper from sticky magnet, and glue the magnet to patch back.

Fridge magnet ready!

P.S.
If you'd like to see a bit more detailed instruction for making embroidered patches - it's available here, showing a beautiful project with patch-type Water Lily designs.