DIY Felt Christmas Ornaments

 I love working with felt - you don't need to hem it, it doesn't fray, it is soft and so versatile and lends itself to so many different crafts.  These felt ornaments are worth the time and effort that you spend making them and they look gorgeous year after year. 

 You will need:

Felt.  I use a mix of acrylic and wool felt - it all depends on your preference, your budget and the colours you want to use.

Thread.  I used embroidery thread - you can find such a range of embroidery threads: metallic, sparkly, etc.

Beads / sequins

Ribbon / Ric rac.

Anything else you think of that takes your fancy, eg. buttons, embellishments, old jewellery etc.

 Step 1

Create a template.  I know, I mention this ALL the time.  But your template is crucial.  It also means you can make it again and again.  I love using empty cereal packets for card templates; Acetate works fantastically for plastic templates.  

Practise drawing the ornament shapes you want on a plain piece of photocopy paper or a refill pad. I used traditional ornament shapes -  a circular ornmaent; a tear drop shape; a star shape; a heart shape; and a triangle shape (to represent a tree).

Cut out and transfer your design to an empty cereal packet or piece of clear acetate/plastic.  Cut out.

On your felt, draw around your template x 2.  You might like to do both sides the same colour, or make each side a different colour.  

Cut out.

Embellish either one side or both sides of your felt shapes with beads, lace, ribbon sequins, strips of coloured felt, ric- rac, etc.  

The tree above was decorated using old broken jewellery. 

 The star uses two different sizes and two different colours.

 Cut out a small piece of felt for the top of the ornament x 2.
Cut a length of ribbon for hanging.

Put the two sides of your ornament together;
Sandwich the ribbon in the middle, at the top of your ornament;
Pin the little top pieces of felt to the top of your ornament.

Sew the two pieces of felt together, Leave a gap for stuffing; fill with stuffing; sew up the gap.
Note: It is completely up to you how much stuffing you use.  It is your own preference.  I like to use a little bit of stuffing to give a bit of shape.  You might like to keep it flat like the above ornament.  Or you might like to fill it out a little bit.  There is no right or wrong.

 Felt circular shaped ornament, with white and purple strips of felt, pale purple ric-rac; metallic embroidery thread; purple felt for the top of the ornament and pink ribbon for hanging.

 Pink wool felt; blue felt; ric rac; beads; glossy embroidery thread; pink ribbon for hanging.

Pale purple acrylic felt; strip of white felt; strip of pale pink felt; ric-rac; sparkly embroidery thread; beads; dark pink felt and pink ribbon for hanging.