Are you looking for a simple Christmas craft that will add a touch of vintage whimsy to your home? These easy DIY vintage ornaments are just what you need! This is the perfect beginner sewing project. Once you get the hang of it, you will be sewing up these adorable Christmas ornaments for your family and friends in no time!
DIY Vintage Ornaments
My kids and I have made a tradition out of making these adorable DIY vintage ornaments. Every year we make a big batch of them and gift them to family and friends.
We also inevitably end up keeping a few for ourselves too, because they are just that cute.
These ornaments are so simple to make. They are perfect for somebody who is learning to sew as this project teaches a basic running stitch. It also requires minimal supplies.
Read on for the step by step instructions of how to make these easy DIY vintage Chrismas ornaments.
Supplies
For this project you will need the following:
-pattern (Click here to download the free patterns that I made just for you!)
-fabric
-pinking shears (fabric shears that cut in a zig zag pattern)
-needle
-embroidery floss
-polyester filling
-ribbon or string (I used jute)
-pins
Directions
To begin, fold the fabric in half and pin the pattern to the fabric. You should be pinning through the paper and two layers of fabric.
Next, use the pinking shears to cut out the pattern. If you do not have pinking shears, you could use regular fabric scissors, but I do recommend using the pinking shears if at all possible.
The pinking shears help prevent the fabric from fraying, and this will help the ornament look better in the long run. Plus, the zig zag cut that the pinking shears make adds to the overall vintage look of the ornament.
Once you have cut out the shape, remove the pins and the paper pattern and set aside.
Now it is time to prepare the embroidery floss and needle.
Cut a piece of embroidery floss. A length of about 20 inches should be enough for one ornament.
Embroidery floss is comprised of six small strands of thread. For this project, you will only need two strands of the embroidery floss, which means you will need to separate two strands off.
This is easy to do, simply grab two of the smaller strands and carefully pull them away from the embroidery floss. I suggest you do this slowly so as to not tangle the threads as they pull away.
Now it is time to thread the needle. Simply place the two strands through the eye of the needle and pull it through about 3 or 4 inches.
Make a good knot at the end of the long tail. I usually make about three knots together to ensure the knot will not pull throught the fabric.
Now it is time to start sewing!
Make sure your pieces of fabric are lined up nicely together. If you are a beginner, you may want to pin the pieces of fabric in place so you do not have to worry about them moving around as you sew.
You will want to begin your stitch at the top of the ornament. To make the first stitch, I push the needle up from in between the two pieces of fabric. Doing this will hide the knot at the end of the thread on the inside of the ornament.
Once you have done that, it is time to sew around the perimeter of the ornament using a running stitch.
There are two ways to sew a running stitch. The first is to simply push the needle down and through the fabric, then back up to the front again, making your way around the ornament. This is a great way for beginner sewers to practice their stitching.
The second way is to push the needle through the fabric several times before pulling the thread taut. This way is much more efficient, but it does take a little bit more practice and experience to keep the stitches nice and even.
There are a few things to keep in mind as you sew around the edge of the ornament. The first is to keep your stitch length nice and even.
It does not have to be perfect, but the finished product will look nicer if your stitch length is more or less the same.
The other thing to keep in mind is to stay close to the edge of the ornament and be particularly mindful of following the curves of the ornament.
If you get sloppy on the curves, the ornament will begin to lose its shape and look more like a formless blob.
Continue sewing around the perimeter of the ornament.
When you are about 2 or 3 inches away from the finish, pause the sewing.
It is time to fill the ornament with the polyester stuffing.
To prevent the ornament from being lumpy, you will want to stuff it carefully. Rather than shoving a bunch of stuffing in at once, it is better to stuff with one small amount of fluff at a time.
The best way to do that is to take a small piece of stuffing. Before you put it inside the ornament, fluff it out with your fingers.
The top piece has not been fluffed out yet. The bottom piece is what it should look like before you put it in the ornament.
As you place it in the ornament, make sure you get the fluff into all the corners. Some bags of polyester filling come with a stuffing tool. It looks like a wooden chop stick. An unsharpened pencil would also work.
Continuing to use small, fluffed out bunches of polyester, fill the ornament to the desired amount.
Once you are satisfied with the amount of stuffing, continue to sew up the ornament.
Just before you get back around to the end of the ornament, it is time to sew the ribbon or string into place.
Cut off a section of ribbon or string, about six inches in length.
Fold the string in half, the insert the two ends inside of the ornment. Sew in place by running the needle and thread through the string, while also simultaneously closing up the top edge of the ornament.
Once you are confident that the string is secured in place, on the back side of the ornament, tie a couple of knots to secure in place.
And now your ornament is complete! Make a whole set for your own tree, or make a basketful to hand out to family and friends.
These darling DIY vintage ornaments are filled with a good bit of old fashioned, wholesome Christmas cheer.
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