Hello readers! I am so excited to be back in Austin. Amanda and I had so much fun on the Spruce book tour, but I was really eager to be home so that I could get into holiday mode. I have a really fun afternoon project for you! I found this adorable DIY ornament project on Pinterest and couldn’t resist. As you can imagine, we have so many scraps of fabric lying around that are usually too small to use for anything. This project is perfect for putting those scraps to good use. Follow these instructions to make your very own ornament!
First, find something round that can be used as a template for your circles. I used this votive candle, which is about 3 inches in diameter. You will need to trace 18 circles on your fabric.
Cut out all of your circles.
Next, sew 2 circles together with the good sides facing one another. Do this until you have 9 sewn circles.
Trim away most of the excess seam allowance. This will remove some of the bulk around the edges and will make your circle rounder.
Mark the center of your circle. The easiest way to do this is to fold your circle into a quarter and then mark the tip with chalk. When you unfold it, you should have the approximate center.
Cut a small X where your center mark is. Be sure that you are only cutting through one side of the circle.
Use your thumb to turn your circle right-side-out. This part will agitate the fabric, so it’s better to use a fabric that doesn’t fray too much.
Iron all 9 circles so they lie nice and flat.
To assemble your ornament, you will need to start with a base circle. Use hot glue to attach a loop of decorative yarn or ribbon to the center of the side that has the X cut into it. You’ll use this loop of yarn or ribbon to hang the ornament, so be sure it’s long enough to go around a limb or nail. Use as little glue as possible to minimize bulk.
Take another circle, fold it in half, and line it up in the center of the base circle. Run a thin line of hot glue down the center and attach the folded circle.
Attach another folded circle on the opposite side so that it mirrors the previous folded circle.
Repeat this step until you have 4 circles glued on either side of the base circle. You should have 9 total (1 base circle and 4 folded circles on both sides).
Now it’s time for your ornament to start taking shape! Glue the center of one your circles to the center of the circle next to it. Repeat this step all the way around. If you get confused, try pinning them together first before you start gluing.
After all of your centers have been glued, attach the tops and bottoms of every other circle. Again, pinning them together first is helpful.
Deck the halls! There are many ways you can add more personal touches to this ornament. Instead of using hot glue, you can hand stitch the segments together with little french knots, or even attach a decorative bead or sequin. Repurpose an old shirt or baby blanket to give your ornament more sentimental value. Also, don’t be discouraged if you don’t have a sewing machine. This project can still be achieved using felt or decorative card stock. ‘Tis the season to craft!