How to Embroider Ornaments
Handmade Christmas ornaments give your Christmas tree a personalized touch that you can't get in any store. Make your own ornaments or give them as gifts; they also make great toppers for wrapped presents. This embroidery craft is simple enough that elementary school children can make their own ornaments with adult supervision and occasional assistance. Make your ornaments simple or ornate, depending on your preferences. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Felt fabric
- Scissors
- Embroidery needle
- Embroidery thread
- Polyester fiberfill stuffing
- Ribbon
Instructions
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1
Cut two circle shapes -- or stars or hearts -- out of felt, making them the same size. To do this, cut through two layers at once. Set one aside for later.
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2
Thread an embroidery needle with embroidery thread. Double the thread and knot the ends together.
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3
Pull the needle up through the felt from the back to the front. Make a series of small stitches onto the felt to embroider it with a design. Make a running stitch by bringing the yarn up through the felt, then back down 1/4 inch over, then back up and back down some more. Use this to create lines or spirals on the design.
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4
Fasten off the embroidery by tying a knot in the back of the ornament with the thread. Cut the excess thread.
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5
Thread the needle with more embroidery thread. Bring it up through the front of the ornament near the edge, pulling so the knot is flush with the back side of the ornament.
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6
Bring the other piece of felt together with the embroidered one so they sandwich together with the back side of the embroidered piece hidden between them. Use your embroidery needle to whip stitch around the edges; to do this, bring the thread and needle out around the edge, then up through the back piece to the front. Repeat this around, leaving a 1-inch gap near the top.
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7
Fill the ornament with a small amount of stuffing material. Cut a 6-inch piece of ribbon and bring the two ends together to make a loop, sandwiching those ends in the gap in the top of the ornament.
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8
Whip stitch around the gap to close it, stitching through the ends of the ribbon to secure them. Tie a knot in the thread and tuck it down inside the ornament, then cut the excess thread. Hang the ornament by the ribbon.
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Tips & Warnings
Try using a pattern of straight lines crisscrossing around the front of the ornament for the embroidery design. Use someone's initials or simply make a spiral pattern radiating out from the center. You can even embroider a message such as "Peace" or "Love" onto the ornament.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
