Tablemap and Wine Bottle Cover with Mistletoe Cutwork

Photos and instructions for these gorgeous pillows have been emailed to us by Bobbie B. from Memphis. 
Bobbie used natural color linen for the tablecloth, red cotton for wine bottle cover and decorated both with Mistletoe Cutwork embroidery designs. Scroll down to see close-up photos, and read tips related to this project:

Here is a detailed instruction for embroidering the cutwork Mistletoe: Hoop your fabric together with heavy duty water soluble backing under it. Embroider the first thread. It will outline all the areas where fabric should be cut out to make cutwork holes. Remove the hoop (do NOT unhoop the fabric. Just slide off the hoop out of your machine). Cut out the fabric inside outline areas, using very sharp applique scissors. Cut as close to the edge as you possibly can, without damaging the stitches or water soluble backing. The backing must remain! Then, insert the hoop back, and embroider the rest of design. If you want more than one design, like on these photos - repeat this script with all of them. And here is a closeup photo of ready cutwork:

Tips:
1. If you want to use more than one design on one project, like these photo show, and they can fit into one hoop - you may want to align and join them into a single file using your embroidery software. It's easier than aligning them physically, so if you manage to keep within your max. hoop - go for it. To learn joining designs, click here...
2. For cutwork designs, it's absolutely fool proof to choose thread color in similar color family with the basic fabric. It may be the same color, darker or lighter shade, like our photos show. Also, it you want the cutwork design to look nice on both sides (back and front), you may use Matching Top and Bobbin Thread for this.
3. Use the strongest Water Soluble Backing.