We love making new Christmas ornaments each year to decorate our home. This year we are planning a winter wonderland theme using lots of pastel coloured decorations with gold accents. Even though Christmas falls in the middle of our Australian summer and are usually very hot, we can dream right? One year we spent Christmas in Colorado and it was lovely experiencing a white Christmas. We even went for a sleigh ride on Christmas Day.
If you have been following our blog since we began, you may recall our Charming Christmas ornaments from 2009. This year we have given them a makeover and made these easy to construct felt and fabric stars.
If you would like to make your own, you will need:
- fabric
- white felt
- fusible appliqué web such as steam a seam
- silver or gold thread
- fibre fill or stuffing of your choice
Trace a star (or other Christmas shape – such as a bell, Christmas tree, etc) onto the paper side of the fusible web. Cut around the shape leaving a 1/4 inch clearance. Press the shape onto the back of the fabric, and cut it out. Peel off the paper backing, and fuse the fabric shape onto a square of white felt that at least 1 inch wider and longer than the shape.
Tip: Use medium sized Christmas cookie cutters as a template for the Christmas shapes.
Layer the felt with the fabric appliqué shape onto a second square of felt the same size. Using your sewing machine, stitch a buttonhole stitch, around the outside of the shape, leaving a 1 inch gap in one side. Pull the felt layers apart near the gap and stuff gently with the filling. Use a chopstick to push the stuffing down inside the shape. Close the opening with some more buttonhole stitching.
Cut around the shape using pinking shears. Make a hanging loop with a length of metallic thread.
The stars are a perfect match with my favourite tea set.
Sweet! An excellent and clever way to make a very neat stuffed star – I’ll be trying these. Thanks! 🙂
Your stars are beautiful!!! Thanks for showing how you made them.
It’s a greta idea!!! Thank you! :o)
Lovely tea set… and pastels are my favourite :)) Thanks for sweet idea.
It only bothers me that I don’t have pinking shears… ehh
Great little stars. My grandgirl and I are making these next weekend 🙂
Thanks Doris! How lovely to have a grand daughter who shares your love of crafting!
How easy and yet how effective!
Thanks Carla!
Adorable! Would love to know the pattern name of your delightful tea set…pretty please?
Thanks Fiane. It is Polka Rose by Royal Albert. My family have been buying me it for me over the past couple of years. It is such a sweet tea set:)
Thank you very much!
I love this ornament. It is darling! Where did you get the fabric? I would like to make these, but am having a hard time finding mint fabric with gold polka dots. Thank you!
Thanks Tanya. It is Cotton and Steel Fabric which has a floral border print, but most of the fabric is mint and gold. It is by Melody Miller and part of the Mustang collection.
Hello Lisa & Sarah
Your star is so attractive and glittering
The choice of your tissu is ideal for this project and so delicate
I appreciate very much
Congratulations
Thank you DADA! We love the fabrics with gold accents that are available at the moment.
Thanks
& Have a good day
Hi, again, Lisa &Sarah
I keep returning to these ornaments, and as I see photos I feel intrigued every time… because one star looks two-sided to me (the one lying flat) … So I keep wondering if you sewed 2 layers of felt or something… I mean there *is* a possibility of making this ornament look the same on the back, or not exactly the same,but using different print… am I right, and if so, how does one go about it? 🙂
Hi Lily – the back of the ornaments are plain white felt, but the two layers of felt are lightly stuffed which gives the ornaments a 3 D appearance. I guess you could add a fabric star to the back but you would need to ensure that both stars were perfectly aligned when you sewed the layers together.
Oh, thanks! I wasn’t reading attentively… nor looking, for that matter. So it’s *2* layers of felt before doing buttonhole stitch… Sorry 🙂 In my head there was a whole different ‘story’,.. a dilettante one, of course
🙂
I have just found you via Instagram and I love your work and will definitely be trying your star project. I mostly knit and crochet but I am loving your stars so sewing will be added to my crafting hobbies xx Joy xx
Thanks so much Joy! Glad you found us 🙂
merci pour cette jolie étoile
Great tutorial! My 8 year old granddaughter will enjoy making these ornaments as she loves to sew with me. thanks for sharing your creative ideas with us.
Thanks Neene – how fun to craft with your grand daughter!