Calico and Felt Ornaments

 

I've been working on some quick little ornaments that I thought I should share with you. In case you need a fun quick ornament for your tree or gifting.

We decided to gift a couple of our neighbors some small (1 gallon) live (potted) Christmas-type trees that we would decorate. They can use the trees for about a week indoors (that's about as long as a live tree should be brought indoors) as a table top tree. Then after Christmas, they can plant the tree somewhere on their property. My husband and I have been planting a small tree almost every year on our property for our "Christmas Tree Grove". It's kind of a fun tradition.

That's the plan anyway (I told you I needed to get a game-plan in this post), So, I've spent the last couple of days cranking out ornaments. These are so super easy, you can make quite a few in a very short time. First, I'll show you the no-sew method.

No-Sew Calico and Felt Ornaments-

Materials:
Calico quilt fabric remnants
felt
fusible webbing (ultra or heavy)
string, yarn, embroidery thread or fishing line (for hanging loops)
buttons, beads, ribbon & trims (for details)
Clear drying fabric glue
Applique designs (I used the designs from Debbie Mumm's book Country Quilts for all Occasions, but you could also find other Christmas designs in print, online, in coloring books, cookie cutters, etc.)

1. Trace applique pattern pieces onto the paper side of the fusible webbing (I use Heat 'n bond Ultra).

2. Iron the fusible webbing onto the back-side of your calico fabrics.

 

 

3. Cut out the fabric design (around the tracing). Peel the paper backing off. Place onto your felt (remember to leave at least 1/8" around your fabric design). Place a hanging loop of thin yarn, embroidery thread, or fishing line (nylon thread) between the fabric and felt at the top or your design (I used jute string on my sewn ornaments, but it was too heavy for the no-sew ornaments and the fusible webbing wouldn't hold it in place).

 

 

4. Cut the felt around the design leaving about 1/8" around the design. Cut carefully behind the hanging loop.

Glue any beads, buttons, ribbons or trims onto the ornament using a clear drying fabric glue (you could probably use hot glue also, I just didn't).

That's it! Super simple, right?

Machine Applique Ornaments-

If you like to do machine applique (or are thinking about learning) the steps are the same with the exception that you will use the Lite (or sewable) fusible webbing instead of the Ultra.The Ultra webbing is not designed to be sewn with and will "gum-up" your machine. Make sure you have the right fusible webbing before you start sewing.

Once your design is ironed onto the felt (but BEFORE you trim the felt), use a tight, narrow zig-zag (satin stitch) around your design, covering the edge of the fabric.

Machine applique is something that takes some practice, but once you learn to do it, it's SO MUCH FUN!

Okay! That's all there is.......you better get crafting.....there's just 21 days left until Christmas!

Happy Christmas Crafting!

Lori