This project was designed by Debbie von Grabler-Crozier of The Folk Art Factory using wool felt kindly supplied by Hantex - please see here for stockists.
Nordic Hanging Christmas Decorations
Most of us seem to have a yen to look to the north for inspiration as soon as Christmas comes close enough. I am no exception and I love red, grey and winter white together. Add beads, button and ribbon and it is heavenly. So it sounds like it is time to make something new for the tree…..
You will need (to make all five ornaments)
Grey wool felt
Winter white wool felt
Red wool felt
Scrap of red and white fabric
Beads – assorted red, white grey/silver
Buttons – red heart shaped, red and white spotted x 2, pretty silver button, plain light wood button
Stranded embroidery thread – white, red, grey
Ribbon – red and white grosgrain
Hangers – cheap silver earring hangers
Sizzix Big Shot Die Cutter (optional)
Sizzix Framelits (#657561) heart dies*, Bigz flower layers and leaves (#657690), Bigz circles (#659845) (optional). If you don't have a die cutter, you can make your own templates from cookie cutters or hand drawn as you wish
Water soluble marker
Glue stick
Your usual sewing needs
(*This die set is designed for paper craft but it will also happily cut felt.)
Heart Ornament
Cut out two red felt hearts (9cm across), a small grey flower and a white flower centre and glue them together. Put one heart aside.
Use white embroidery thread (2 strands) to make some straight stitches to both embellish and anchor the flower. Sew the red button on too.
Take the second heart and the ribbon. Place the two hearts exactly together and make a hanger from the ribbon by folding it in half and tucking the ends together between the hearts at the top.
Make a white running stitch all the way around the heart, securing the ribbon as you go.
Embroidered Round Ornament
Cut two circles (7.5cm), one grey and one white and put the grey aside for now.
Use the water soluble marker to draw a cross onto the white heart. Add another one over the top.
Embroider the cross with a red (2 strands of floss) backstitch.
Add lazy daisy stitches along the ‘arms’ of the crosses and one at each end. Sew the button on in the centre.
Add the grey circle to the back of the white one and make a grey running stitch to secure them together.
Decide on the top and anchor your thread there. Thread some beads on and use the earring wire on the top as a hanger. Secure the thread very well.
Cross Stitch Ornament
Cut two 7.5cm circles (1 grey and 1 white). Cut three small hearts and glue them in a triangular shape to the grey circle.
Secure the hearts with a double cross stitch in the middle of each heart. Sew the button to the centre.
Lightly glue the two circles together and tuck the ribbon in the top. Make a row of casual (not counted) cross stitches around the outside of the circle, securing the ribbon as you go.
Double Heart Ornament
Cut two grey hearts using the larger heart cutter. Position the smaller heart cutter in the middle of one of the hearts and cut out a window.
Glue the red and white fabric to the uncut heart and then place the other one over so that the fabric shows.
Make a grey running stitch around the heart aperture and around the very outside of the heart.
Secure the thread in the top centre of the heart and thread some beads on at random and the earring wire at the top.
Add a pretty button to the base of the beads.
Snowflower Ornament
Cut two red circles, a large white flower and small grey flower. Put a red circle aside and glue the other three pieces together to form a flower.
Use red embroidery thread, lazy daisy and straight stitches to embellish and anchor the flower.
Sew the wooden button to the centre.
Glue the spare red circle to the main one, tucking the ribbon into the top as you go and make a red running stitch around the outside.
If you would like to make some more Christmas projects, take a look here.
