How To: Vintage Felt Baubles

Time for a bit of Christmas crafting, with a tutorial for felt ornaments inspired by vintage glass baubles.

 

I designed these baubles for Sew Hip last year, but I thought they'd be perfect to share with you all as part of my Crafty Christmas series :)

To make your own baubles you will need:

- The templates at the bottom of this post
- Craft felt in white, grey and a selection of bright candy colours (or whatever colour scheme you've chosen)
- Ric rac, plus matching embroidery thread
- Matching sewing threads for all the felt & ric rac colours you're using
- Narrow ribbon
- A sewing needle, pins, sewing scissors and a large needle

 

1) First cut out your pattern pieces from the templates provided. For each ornament (a circle or a teardrop) you need to cut out two main bauble shapes in a bright colour (C1 or T1), one wide band of white felt (C2 or T2), one narrower band of a second bright colour (C3 or T3) and one small ‘cap’ piece from grey felt (TC).

 

2) Position the wide white band onto the middle of one of your bauble shapes so the edges match up. Pin the band in place and stitch around the edges with a line of simple straight stitches in white thread.

 

3) Next place the narrower coloured band of felt in the centre of the white band, pin or hold it in place and stitch around the edges with a line of straight stitches in matching thread.

 

4) Cut a length of bright ric rac at least five cms longer than the width of the ornament. Hold it in position so it overlaps the ornament by a couple of cms at each end and slowly sew it in place with matching thread, gradually curving the ric rac to match the curve of the felt band.

 

5) When you reach the end of the band, fold the spare ric rac over the edge taking care not to distort the shape of the ornament. Trim any excess ric rac and stitch the end in place with small whip stitches. Repeat this for the other end.

 

6) Thread a large needle with embroidery thread in the same colour as the ric rac and sew two decorative lines a few mms from the top and bottom of the band, following its curve. Use back stitch or, if you prefer, sew a line of straight stitches and then double back on yourself and fill in the gaps between the stitches.

 

7) Place the small grey cap piece at the top of your ornament and sew it in place using vertical stitches in white or light grey thread. Then turn the ornament over so you can see the back and all your workings.

 

8) Cut a four and a half inch length of narrow ribbon, fold it to make loop and sew the ends in place at the top of the ornament using small whip stitches.

9) Place the front and back bauble pieces together so the ribbon ends are sandwiched between them and the decorated side of the bauble is facing outwards. Sew them together with a line of straight stitches around the edge in thread the same colour as your main bauble shape. Finally, finish your stitches as neatly as possible on the back of the ornament.

 

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Here are the templates - double click to view full size and print at 100%. I've included a scale so you can check if you've printed them at the right size, but you can obviously print them larger or smaller if you prefer :)

This tutorial is for non commercial use only: you can use it for as many ornaments as you like for yourself or as gifts for friends but please don't make any for sale. Please feel free to borrow photos if you want to blog about this project, but remember to credit me and link back to the original source, and do not reproduce my entire tutorial on your site. Thanks!