Embroidery On Recycled Styrofoam Trays

Embroidered Picture on Styrofoam Tray

Embroidery on recycled styrofoam trays is just too much fun, and I’m already envisioning a whole series of mini embroidered pictures. Embroidering on styrofoam trays is a great way to introduce the art of sewing to young kids or take a little time out for yourself to make a small whimsical embroidered picture.

Embroidery on recycled Styrofoam trays

You’ll Need:

  • recycled styrofoam trays, cleaned well and sanitized with soap and hot water if they held meat or fish
  • yarn
  • a large yarn needle, or even a plastic yarn needle for kids

How To:

Figure out your design before you start embroidering, mark lightly with a pencil on the back of the tray. I of course did it on the front, silly me, totally not necessary! Make holes with your needle along the lines of your drawing. Make sure holes are not too close together. Thread your needle, tie a knot in the end of the yarn and go to town!

Of course, if you’d like to do something just a bit more sophisticated (and time consuming), by all means, why not use a regular sized embroidery needle and embroidery thread and practice some more complicated stitches? 

Stay tuned for a fun way to use embroidery on styrofoam for your Purim gifts (can you guess?) coming up tomorrow!

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Comments

29 responses to “Embroidery On Recycled Styrofoam Trays”

  1. Karin Avatar
    Karin

    Brilliant! We love it!

    Reply
  2. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Thanks Karin, I came about this after playing with some embroidered containers which Im posting tomorrow and will of course link to you as the inspiration!

    Reply
  3. Rose Avatar
    Rose

    Genius!
    Can you please add a Pin it button to your site so I can save the stuff I want to do on a rainy day?
    Your posts are really inspirational!
    Do you have any new purim costume ideas, especially for a toddler boy?
    Thanks for everything.

    Reply
  4. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Hi Rose, Thanks so much! Ill try to add a pin it button to my site, but in the meantime you can add the pin-it option to the bar below your browser, sorry forgot what its called but thats what I have.
    As far as costumes, well this year the boys are going to be an eagle and a messenger of the King……When my kids were young I always dressed them as something like David HaMelech, Mordechai, and other Tzaddikim, since you never know what theyll agree to when theyre older! (We barely avoided the cop and the ambulance driver this year!) All the best!

    Reply
  5. Rose Avatar
    Rose

    Thanks for your quick response.
    I usually browse your site using my smartphone, hence the need for a pin it button.
    I’d love to see that eagle although it’s probably way above my skills and time available. My little one is only 18 months old, so I was considering something more playful than mordechai or a Kohen godol…
    Thanks again.

    Reply
  6. Susan Jonsson Avatar
    Susan Jonsson

    Brilliant idea….It occured to me my art students could try needle weaving with a loom made using your technique….I will be trying it out today! Thanks for sharing your great idea!
    Susan

    Reply
  7. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Thanks Susan, would love to see what you did with your students! Check back tomorrow for the original idea which led to the one I posted today!

    Reply
  8. Miss Avatar
    Miss

    This is an absolutely brilliant project. Simple yet so charming! Can’t wait to try this with my students!

    Reply
  9. Susan Avatar
    Susan

    Love this idea! Am thinking paper plates might work well, too.

    Reply
  10. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Thanks so much, great to meet you, and do let me know if you post a project using this idea. Plus Id love it if youd join us for Craft Schooling Sunday with some of your students work!

    Reply
  11. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Hi Susan, thanks so much! Paper plates would be great too, but much harder work. Inserting the needle into the styrofoam requires no effort, which is why is goes quickly and is great for kids. all the best!

    Reply
  12. Connie Avatar
    Connie

    I have been wondering what I could do with those trays, and while I had a few ideas, I’m liking your idea so much better! So happy I found you (through Craft Gossip). Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  13. Papgena Avatar
    Papgena

    oh my!! my husband will not like it when he starts to see I now collected styrofoam trays!!! 😀
    thanks so much for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Glad you found me too! I have to admit, I save these trays and this is the first project that Im really loving too. Though making prints with them is pretty great too, see my post here:
    http://www.creativejewishmom.com/2009/06/recycle-styrofoam-trays-and-make-artful-prints/ and check out my blog again to see what I just posted!

    Reply
  15. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    You just have to get really good at hiding your stash, and at least the trays are stackable! all the best! check out my blog to see what I just posted!

    Reply
  16. Esther Avatar
    Esther

    I’m not sure why, I always leave a comment and it is not getting reflected.. Is there a problem with my machine! This is really ingenious! I have pinned it

    Reply
  17. Esther Avatar
    Esther

    Now I got to know the problem, I always missed the verification code!

    Reply
  18. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Thanks so much Esther, I got this comment!

    Reply
  19. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Great, looking forward to hearing from you!

    Reply
  20. HawaiianLibrarian Avatar
    HawaiianLibrarian

    Very clever use of styro trays for a true art original by children’s hands. Mahalo for sharing a new project for our Tiny Tales at the library.

    Reply
  21. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Thanks Brenda! Great to know my craft ideas might be used in Hawaii! I grew up going there for vacation as I am originally from California…..such fond memories of snorkeling!

    Reply
  22. Sherrie Avatar
    Sherrie

    I used to do this as a kid. When my mother passed away a few years ago, I found the one I had made for her. She still had it.

    Reply
  23. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Thanks for sharing, thats really touching! I guess there really is nothing new under the sun, but is sure is fun re-discovering things!

    Reply
  24. Buba Avatar
    Buba

    Great idea!

    Reply
  25. su medhavi Avatar
    su medhavi

    cool, thanks

    Reply
  26. hitokirihoshi] Avatar
    hitokirihoshi]

    i like doing crafts using recycled materials and this is one good idea.
    and i think my niece will also love your idea. we’ll collect Styrofoam from now on.
    More power!

    Reply
  27. Donna Smith Avatar
    Donna Smith

    I thought we stopped reusing styrofoam trays about 20 years ago because they can cause disease?

    Reply
  28. Sara Rivka Avatar
    Sara Rivka

    Hi Donna, interesting to hear, their use is still in full force here in Israel! So certainly important to wash any fish or meat purchased in foam trays! Thanks so much, we should all have good health!

    Reply
  29. ANA MARIA Avatar
    ANA MARIA

    hola…buenas noches…he visto tus trabajos de reciclaje y son fabulosos…te pregunto ..que idea me das para reciclar radiografiaras (A TACETAO) Y TRANSFORMARLAS EN CUBRE MANTELES..???.INDIVIDUALES PARA MÍ??? GRACIAS.. ESPERO TU CONSEJO..

    Reply

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