How to Make Cajun Christmas Ornaments

As soon as one holiday is over, the Cajuns in Louisiana are planning for the next one. They like family and fun, and the holidays at the end of the year--Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas--are just another occasion for celebration. They make the most of every holiday, with food for the holidays, and decorations. You could decorate for a Cajun Christmas with small Mardi Gras masks on the tree, too.

Many Cajuns decorate with conventional ornaments--since Cajun ornaments require a little creativity. You can make your own Cajun Christmas tree ornaments with simple shapes in whatever product you choose.

We usually craft in felt or fabrics, but scroll saw and wood can make the same shapes in another medium.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• felt or fleece
• scissors
• needle and thread or sewing machine
• embroidery thread and needle for blanket stitch if you choose
• pen and paper

1. 
   Christmas ornament outline shapes

   Decide how you want your Cajun Christmas ornaments to look on the Christmas tree and consider the size of the tree you intend to use. Make the ornaments proportional to the size of the tree. If you want them to be rustic, you may want to choose to make them of wood with a scroll saw. If you want them to be folk art, you may use felt and a blanket stitch around the edge. You may also sew them with the sewing machine.

2. 
   Cajun animal shapes for Christmas ornaments

   Choose the objects you want to have for ornaments. You can choose candy canes and angels like a traditional Christmas tree, or you may choose alligators and shrimp, chickens and pigs. The family cat may be included, too. The Cajun summer celebrations often include the greased pig contest and the chicken chase, so the pig and chicken are essential for an animal tree.

3. 
   blanket stitch is easy

   Draw designs of your choice on felt or fleece fabric and cut two of each design to make them three-dimensional. Blanket stitch or sew (or both) around the edge and stuff the shape with cotton balls or pantyhose.

4. 
   Work the edge of your Cajun critter

   Using a needle and six strands of embroidery thread, stitch along the edge of the felt animal as shown. After making the first stitch from back to front, put another stitch in the same hole to get started. Then, working from back to front, put the needle through the fabric and loop the thread around the needle once. This makes the edge binding. Do not pull it tight, and you can soon see the folk art look of blanket stitching.

5. Add felt or ink pen eyes to your critters. Decorate them as your creativity allows and add a loop for a hanger if you choose. Have a great time while you make Cajun Christmas ornaments, and have a great Christmas!

Tips & Warnings

• We often write about Cajun cooking and Cajun life. See other articles like this in Resources below.
• copyright 2009 Linda Richard
• Feel free to link to this article or send it to a friend.
• Do not use buttons or purchased eyes if you have small children. Nothing is as safe as thread and fabric.

Resources

• Decorate a Cajun Christmas Tree
• Create a Christmas Tree Skirt
• Cook Sausage Jambalaya Fast Recipe
• Make a Pear Pie Cajun Recipe
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake Easy
• Macaroni and Meat Casserole Cajun Recipe

[ruf1950]

on 9/27/2009 Great article on Cajun Christmas ornaments. 5*****

[kristara]

on 9/26/2009 Great tips on making ornaments 5*

[kristara]

on 9/26/2009 Great tips on making ornaments 5*