Securing embroidery in a hoop

This is not a how-to per se, although I guess it could be used as one if you would like. I am however sure that real, good how-tos exist out there on the interwebs. This is simply a recording of how I finished the last of this year's christmas presents in due time.

After finishing the actual embroidery I took the inner hoop and laid it on a fabric to trace the backing. You could get beautiful fabric that matched your embroidery in some way, but doing this on the cheap I just found a scrap I had at hand. 

I traced the inside of the loop cut out a circle about 1-1,5cm (1/2 inch) bigger.

Next, I placed the embroidery inside the hoop and made sure it was tight.

Then I cut around the hoop, again about 1-1,5cm from the edge.

Now it was time to press the edge inside the hoop.

Then I turned the backing in at the line, by cutting slits and pressing them down.

When they had all been well pressed, I pinned the backing to the pressed over embroidery fabric.

  

Then I turned the work to make sure the embroidery was still sitting nicely in the frame. 

After finding the best match of thread available, I started to sew them together with small whip sts.

This took a while, but if something is worth doing it is worth doing it well. And while the result is far from perfect, it is pretty good for a first try in my eyes.

And here you have it, the final christmas present of the year, done and ready to be wrapped up.