It will soon be that most wonderful time of the year again, when us crafters get very excited at the prospect of having lots of reasons to make lovely things. But it can also get a bit overwhelming, especially if ambition outweighs reality in terms of how much time we have to create everything in our mind’s eye. So this week on the blog I am devoting my posts to all things Christmas in the hopes of giving you some great ideas and clear tutorials to follow. So far I’ve focussed on gift ideas for men, women and children. Today I’ve pulled together a collection of lovely embroidery hoop patterns; perfect as festive decor, to give as thoughtful gifts, or simply to give you some much needed downtime during all the Christmas hustle and bustle.

But before we begin! If you love to sew, why not sign up for my Creative Sewing Challenge? I created it to help me keep my beloved hobby on the agenda when life gets busy, and since launching hundreds of lovely sewers throughout the world have joined me. You get a fabulous prompt sent to your inbox at the start of the month, and a collection of ideas linked to the theme. The idea is to sew something – anything – in response. Its free, fun and open to anyone. Sign up below or find out more here.

And now for some brilliant hoops…How clever is this great Rudolf Mini Hoop by One Savvy Mom!

This sweet and simple tutorial for Vintage Christmas Wreath ornaments by All Free Sewing would make a great last-minute make.

I love this Embroidered Christmas Tree design by Sew What Alicia. It would look great on the hoop or follow the tutorial right through to make a cute tree ornament.

For something with just a subtle hint of festiveness, why not try my Shooting Star Embroidery Hoop. If you like it, you can keep it up all year!

And I just love the muted colours of this Easy Snowflake Embroidery Hoop Ornament by Home Made Lovely.

Nothing beats having some kind of creative project to look forward to at the end of a long day, I hope you find something to get those calming, creative juices flowing. Don’t forget to sign up for the Creative Sewing Challenge, it would be great to welcome you to the community. And join me tomorrow for a collection of handmade Christmas Stocking tutorials.

Oh, and here is a handy pin to save for later.