Fifteen Felt Christmas Ornaments Finally Finished!

Oh, hello, what's this? Another blog post about getting things finished?? HURRAH.

If you're a regular reader of my blog you'll know that I was working hard to finish lots of my personal creative projects last year, including a patchwork blanket, a couple of quilts, and a set of felt Christmas ornaments I was making from Alicia Paulson's lovely patterns.

I bought several of Alicia's kits way back in 2012 and 2013 and had really made very little effort to devote any focused time to them... so, unsurprisingly, most of the designs were still sitting in pieces, unstitched, in a drawer in my flat many years later.

Well now, happily, I can say that all fifteen ornaments are finally finished! Woohoo!

Don't they all look fabulous together?

That photo ended up being my most popular Instagram photo from last year - and, indeed, my whole time on Instagram. Watching all the "likes" roll in for this project was a weird and fun way to finish the year!

Fancy a closer look at the ornaments? The first batch was the slowest to finish as they technically took me 5-6 years to complete...

... then it took me just a month to get another four finished this autumn...

... and the final four were ready just in time for Christmas.

I completed the sweet Gingerbread Girl in early December - I probably could have managed it slightly earlier but I wanted to make sure I was super focused and in the zone when I stitched her face to get it juuuuust right. She is so charmingly folksy, I love her.

The next two got finished in the middle of the month, while watching made-for-TV Christmas movies (I love made-for-TV Christmas movies). There's the cute (double-sided) Notevena Mouse (as in "Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse")...

... and the lovely (single-sided) Lighted Window.

The very last design I stitched was the Whistling Tea Kettle which is the one I took most liberties with when it came to not following the instructions.

There was a lot of satin stitch in Alicia's original design and I a) do not enjoy and b) am terrible at satin stitch, sooo my version looks slightly different to hers while still keeping to the same overall pattern. Could I (should I) have used this project as an opportunity to improve my satin stitching? Probably, but never mind!

I deliberately missed out a row of blanket stitching on the kettle, too, because I was finding it frustrating and honestly just wanted this thing finished. I'm pretty pleased with the end result, though, even with the changes.

Just like the other big projects I finished last year after years of them being just works in progress, it is hugely satisfying getting these ornaments completed! I've been meaning to finish them "in time for Christmas" for so many years (and so many different Christmases) that it felt wonderful finally having them ready in time for one.

Having said that, though, I have a confession to make: although I basked in the glorious feeling of getting these ornaments finally finished (which was an excellent Christmas gift to myself), I didn't actually hang any of them up at Christmas!

My holiday decorating style is, these days, best described as very minimal. I put up a few decorations around my flat along with all the cards I'd received from friends, but I don't put up a Christmas tree... and even if I did, it would have to be a VERY big tree to fit these ornaments on it as they're quite large (though you might not guess it from the photos). The Gingerbread Girl, for example, is about 17cm (almost 7 inches) high.

Also (and it's embarrassing to admit this) there's a bit of me that's a teeny bit worried that I'll have them on display and someone will come round to my house and think I made and designed them and say something nice which ends up feeling not so great. I've had this happen several times before with handmade-but-not-by-me things and honestly hearing "oh wow this is the best thing you've ever made, I love these so much!" about something that isn't your work is super awkward and slightly devastating! (Even if you yourself think they're nicer than your own work, too!) (Ugh, maker feelings are so complicated).

So, I think I'm going to end up giving some of these as gifts to friends and family in the run up to next Christmas and possibly just keeping a few of my favourites to hang on doorknobs and other suitable places in my flat. (If you're a friend of mine please do feel free to drop hints about which ones are your faves!)

I'm going to give myself the year to think about it though - who know, by the time next Christmas rolls round I might have decided that I can't bear to part with any of them and I'll have found the perfect places to display them all! We shall see...

Want to make some of these ornaments for yourself? Click here to find all the patterns (and much more loveliness) over in Alicia's shop.

For lots more Christmas crafting ideas, visit my archive of free tutorials.

Crafty Christmas Bauble Tutorial: Make a Sewing-Themed Ornament for Your Tree!

If you're reading this post (and you're not reading it because you're my mother, who sweetly reads all my blog posts just because I wrote them) then there's a pretty strong chance you love crafting.

Sooo... why not lean into your love of all things crafty and make some crafting-themed baubles to hang on your Christmas tree?

This tutorial is sponsored by Bostik, and is part of a series of crafty projects I'm sharing using their range of adhesives.

So far I've also made a giant floral hula hoop wreath, some autumn leaf cards, some fun 3D cards, a cute autumn scene in a mason jar, and a reindeer Christmas card.

Today's project is super easy and fun: turning bits and bobs from your craft stash into cute sewing-themed ornaments to add to your holiday decor.

I decorated my baubles with some old sewing pattern pieces, a cheap and colourful tape measure I got in a sewing kit, and some sequins. You could also make these with knitting patterns, embroidery patterns,  or cross stitch charts, and they'd look just as fab!

These crafty baubles would be a great addition to your Christmas tree... but you could also use them to make a garland for your sewing room, as card toppers, or as gift tags (maybe with some crafty gift wrapping?).

I decorated my baubles on one side only, but if you want your baubles to be double-sided just repeat steps 2-4 as you work through them.

You will need:

- a Bostik Blu Stick (or other glue suitable for sticking paper and card)
- some Bostik White Glu (or other craft glue)
- white card
- craft scissors
- a pencil
- an old sewing pattern (or a knitting pattern or cross stitch chart, e.g. from a craft magazine or a second hand book).
- a measuring tape
- some sequins
- a darning needle (to poke holes in the tops of the baubles)
- some thread, yarn or bakers twine for hanging the baubles
- the bauble template provided at the bottom of this post

How to make a craft-themed Christmas bauble:

1. Use the bauble template and a sharp pencil to draw a bauble shape on white card, then cut it out.

White card is crucial as a neutral base if you're using a semi-transparent sewing pattern to decorate your baubles, but if you're using book or magazine pages, you could use scrap card from cereal boxes or other packaging as your bauble base because the card will be hidden by the thicker paper.

2. Use a glue stick to cover the card bauble in glue, then stick it to the back of the sewing pattern (or whichever craft pattern you're using). I found it helpful to roughly cut out interesting sections of the sewing pattern ready to stick the bauble shapes to, rather than working with whole pattern pieces laid out on my desk.

I used a Bostik Blu Stick for sticking my bauble shapes. The glue starts out blue then dries totally clear, so it's perfect for making sure you've completely and evenly covered a card shape with glue. 

Before the glue dries, turn the bauble over and carefully smooth down the paper to make sure it's completely stuck down without any air bubbles or creases.

Once the glue has dried and the paper is firmly attached, cut away the excess paper leaving a decorated bauble shape.

3. Cut a length of measuring tape slightly wider than the bauble.

Don't have a measuring tape or just fancy a different look? If you're using a pattern from a craft book or magazine, you could cut a colourful strip from the photo of the finished project to run across the centre of the bauble.

Add some craft glue to the back of the tape and press it in place on the front of the bauble.

I used Bostik White Glu to attach the measuring tape (and the sequins in the next step). The glue is really easy to control via the nozzle and it dries clear so if you accidentally use too much it won't show on your finished bauble.

Turn the bauble over and leave it to dry, then trim away the excess tape.

4. Add two rows of sequins to give your bauble some sparkle!

Tip: lay out your sequins on the bauble to check how many will fit in each row, and to get a rough idea of the spacing before you get out the glue.

I used more of the Bostik White Glu to attach my sequins, adding two rows of small dabs of glue then carefully pressing the sequins in position.

Leave the bauble to dry - the glue will dry clear, so don't worry if you add a bit too much!

5. Use a darning needle to carefully poke a hole in the top of the bauble, then use the needle to thread a piece of sewing thread / yarn / bakers twine. I used some lovely sparkly sewing thread for my baubles, knotting the thread securely in a loop and trimming any excess loose ends.

DISCLOSURE: this post is sponsored by Bostik, who also provided the Blu Stick and White Glu I used to make the baubles.

Click here to open the template sheet in a new window, make sure you're viewing it full size then print it at 100%.

P.S. Fancy some more free crafty goodness? Subscribe to my newsletter for a monthly free pattern and visit my crafty tutorial archive for lots more free projects.

How To: Reindeer Christmas Card Tutorial

Today I'm sharing another paper crafting tutorial: how to make a Christmas card featuring a cute reindeer!

This tutorial is sponsored by Bostik, and is part of a series of crafty projects I'm sharing using their range of adhesives.

So far I've also made a giant floral hula hoop wreath, some autumn leaf cards, some fun 3D cards, and a cute autumn scene in a mason jar.

Whether you send cards to all your friends each year or just have a couple of special people you want to send a note to this holiday season, handmade Christmas cards are such a joy to make and receive.

I'm really pleased with how these reindeer cards turned out, and I hope you'll have fun making one (or lots!) to send to people! You could also use the reindeer design for other festive paper crafting projects, like a scrapbook of your family Christmas.

You will need:

- a Bostik Blu Stick (or other glue suitable for sticking paper and card)
- blank cards (I used light blue cards, approximately 15cm / 6 inches square)
- the templates provided at the bottom of this post, sized to fit your cards
- brown paper (I used some old envelopes for this)
- white paper
- gold paper (I used a small bit of shiny gift wrap)
- scraps of Christmas wrapping paper, or other colourful or decorative paper
- a pencil
- a fine black pen
- craft scissors
- a white colouring pencil (optional)
- a red pen (optional)

How to make a reindeer card:

1. Cut out the templates provided: the two antlers, the blanket and the reindeer. Don't cut along any of the internal lines marked on the reindeer template!

2. Use the templates to cut out one of each piece, turning the template over and carefully drawing around it with a sharp pencil then cutting out the shape.

I used old brown paper envelopes for the reindeer, some shiny gold wrapping paper for the antlers, and some nice Christmas wrapping paper for the blanket.  

Remember: if the paper you're using has a right and wrong side, make sure you draw the shape on the wrong side of the paper so the side you want will be on top when you turn the finished shape over. 

Cutting out the antlers is a little fiddly, so take your time!

Tip: If you wanted to make a lot of these cards, you could glue the paper templates to some sturdy card and cut them out again to make templates which would be easier to draw around.

3. Roughly arrange the pieces on your chosen card, so you can make sure all the pieces fit together neatly and plan their final position on the card.

I chose light blue cards for my deer, so I could add a bit of white paper snow and the blue would become the sky. If you're using another colour of card, you can skip the snow if you want!

Then cut a piece of white paper to form the snow, cutting a wobbly line for the top of the snow. Make sure the paper is large enough to fill the space you want and to overhang the edges of the card. 

4. Cover the piece of paper with craft glue and carefully press it in place on the bottom of the card so the edges of the paper overlap the card, as shown.

I used a Bostik Blu Stick for glueing all the pieces of my Christmas card together - it's perfect for sticking paper and card, and it starts out blue then goes clear which is really helpful when you want to make sure you've evenly covered a shape in glue!

 

Place the card face down then leave it to dry. When the glue has dried completely, carefully cut away the excess white paper (cutting flush with the edge of the card) so you're left with a neat section of snow on the front of the card.

5. Add glue to the back of the deer shape and stick it in position.

I like to use scrap paper when sticking shapes like this: placing the shape face down on the scrap paper, covering the shape completely in glue (the scrap paper means you can quickly cover the shape without worrying about going over the edges and making a mess), then lifting it off the scrap paper and sticking it in place.

 
6. Then use more glue to stick the antlers and blanket in place, as shown. Take extra care when sticking the antlers as the shapes can be a little delicate!

7. Use the lines on the template as a guide to add the details to the deer: the eyes and nose, the lines of the ears and legs, and the strap holding on the blanket. I drew these with pencil first then a fine black pen, colouring in the eyes and nose with the same pen. For a red-nosed reindeer, simply use a red pen!

8. To add a final detail: colour in the insides of the ears with a white colouring pencil.

You could also give your card some extra sparkle by adding silver or white glitter to the snow!

Your finished card will look something like this:

DISCLOSURE: this post is sponsored by Bostik, who also provided the Blu Stick I used to make the Christmas cards.

Click here to open the template sheet in a new window, make sure you're viewing it full size then print them at 100% (or shrink/enlarge as needed for your cards).

P.S. For lots more free Christmas craft projects, visit my tutorial archive!

How To: Sew Modern + Minimalist Felt Christmas Tree Ornaments

A few years ago I shared a tutorial for making minimalist Christmas cards, featuring simple tree shapes cut from neon felt. At the time I thought "ooh, these would make fab Christmas ornaments, too!", cut out some extra shapes for making ornaments with... then ran out of time to actually make some for Christmas. Now here I am a whole four years later, finally getting round to it.
 

 

  
(As always, I am firmly team Better Late Than Never).

 

 
I used bright and zingy neon pink felt for my trees, stitching them together with lime (almost-but-not-quite-neon) green embroidery thread. Neon pink is a total nightmare to photograph but I hope these photos give you a vague idea of just how bright and fabulous these look IRL.

I love how super simple they are, but also how much they POP. They'd look particularly fab on a white tree!

You could, of course, make these ornaments in any colour you fancy - how about stitching a whole rainbow of trees and making a festive garland?

You will need:

- felt in your chosen colour
- contrasting embroidery thread (floss)
- the template sheet from this tutorial
- a sewing needle
- sewing scissors

Optional: narrow ribbon, sewing thread (to match the felt), sparkly stuff like seed beads or sequins.

To make each ornament:

1. Use the tree template to cut out two tree shapes from your chosen felt.

2. Thread a sewing needle with a length of embroidery thread, and thread it into the top of one of the trees (sewing into the felt but not through it).

Make a small loop of the thread, then sew another small stitch (again sewing into the felt but not all the way through it). Set aside the needle and knot the two ends of the thread to secure the loop you've created.

Trim away any excess thread. 

Alternatively you can add a ribbon loop, securing the ends with whip stitch and matching sewing thread.

If you'd like to add some sparkle to your tree (and make it a bit less minimal), use matching sewing thread to stitch some sequins or seed beads to the other tree shape.

3. Place the two tree shapes together and join the edges with blanket stitch. Use more of the embroidery thread, but this time use half the available strands instead of the full thickness of the thread. Keep your stitching as evenly spaced and sized as possible and finish it neatly at the back.

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This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it to make as many felt ornaments as you want for yourself or as gifts, but please don't make any for sale. You may borrow a couple of photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to this page on my blog, and do not reproduce my entire tutorial / share my templates on your site. Thanks!