Chalk Couture Heat Transfer Fall Embroidery Hoop

I turned a large thrifted embroidery hoop into colorful fall decor using a Chalk Couture heat transfer, cream polyester fabric, greenery and ribbon. The Harvest Happiness design fit the oval shape beautifully, and those rich autumn colors came alive as soon as I lifted the transfer.

My thrifted fall hoop idea

I’ve had this big wooden hoop for a long time, and I’m pretty sure I found it at Goodwill. It measures about 12 by 20 inches, so it may actually be a quilting hoop, but any embroidery hoop that fits your design will work.

I love reusing things I already have, especially pieces that can change with the seasons. A hoop like this gives you plenty of options because the fabric can be removed later and replaced with another design. I can already picture a Christmas project going into this same hoop when fall is over.

The fabric was a cream polyester with a slight yellow orange tint. I bought about a yard, which gave me more than enough to work with. That warm fabric color looked so pretty with the oranges, greens and other fall shades in the design.

Using the Chalk Couture heat transfer

Before pressing the design, I ironed the polyester fabric and made sure I had enough fabric extending beyond every side of the hoop. Leaving extra fabric makes it much easier to center the finished design and pull everything tight later.

I placed parchment paper under the fabric to protect my work surface. Then I positioned the Harvest Happiness heat transfer face down on the fabric and taped it in place so it wouldn’t shift while I worked. Another sheet of parchment paper went over the top.

My heat press was set to 360 degrees, and I pressed the design for 60 seconds. Since this was a large transfer, I pressed one section first and then moved the heat press to cover the remaining area. I also went back over the center for a little extra time.

I like to lift one corner and peek before removing the entire transfer. If an area needs more heat, I can place it back down and press it again. This one transferred beautifully, and the colors looked amazing against the cream fabric.

Other ways to use the design

The same heat transfer would look pretty on a garden flag, tote bag, shirt or fabric panel inside a picture frame. I’ve also used spray adhesive to add a transferred fabric design to a chalkboard. Polyester fabric gives you plenty of ways to create decor without limiting the design to clothing.

Centering the fabric in the hoop

Once the transfer was complete, I placed the fabric over the inside section of the hoop and added the outer hoop around it. I moved the fabric a little at a time until the words and artwork looked centered inside the oval.

Then I pulled the fabric taut around the edges. I worked my way around the hoop, tightening and adjusting as I went because that kept the design straight and smoothed out the wrinkles. When I liked the placement, I tightened the wingnut at the top.

I trimmed the extra fabric around the back so I had less material to manage. The hoop holds the fabric firmly by itself, which allows me to remove this fall design and use the wooden frame again for another season. For a permanent project, you could glue the fabric inside the hoop and cover the back with another piece of fabric.

Adding greenery and a harvest bow

The transferred design already filled most of the hoop, so I kept the embellishment on one side. I arranged a few pieces of fall greenery along the edge and used hot glue to hold them in place. I held each piece down until the glue had time to set.

For the bow, I cut two pieces of ribbon to the same length and folded each one into an awareness style shape. I made one layer slightly larger, stacked the two pieces and cinched them together in the center. A small piece of ribbon or twine works well for tying the layers together.

My ribbon included fall details with pumpkins and the word harvest, so it coordinated nicely with the transferred artwork. I glued the bow over the greenery and positioned it low enough that it didn’t cover the words. Moving the ribbon tails slightly helped the bow sit neatly beside the design.

You can also place a bow at the top of the hoop or add more greenery around the frame. I liked the smaller side arrangement because it dressed up the wood while leaving the colorful Harvest Happiness design as the main feature.

Easy decor to refresh each season

This project came together quickly, but the finished hoop has plenty of color and texture. The oval frame fits the shape of the artwork, the warm polyester fabric works with the autumn colors, and the greenery and ribbon make the thrifted hoop feel finished.

The reusable setup is one of my favorite parts. When I’m ready for a seasonal change, I can loosen the hoop, remove the fabric and start again with another transferred design. The same idea would work with Chalk Couture transfers and ink or paste on fabric, giving that thrifted hoop a fresh look throughout the year.

Chalk Couture supplies I used

• Harvest Happiness Heat Transfer

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