One of my favorite ways to pass time once the weather starts to get cold is by making ornaments out of Christmas ornaments. My family used to make these every year to spice up our own tree, and to give out as gifts.
What You’ll Need:
- A small square of cardboard
- Ruler
- Fabric scissors
- Hot glue gun
- Size 17 straight dressmaker pins (the flat headed ones)
- 3 different types of ribbon or fabric that is 2” wide (unwired)
- A 3” styrofoam ball (I prefer the rough ones over the smooth but they both work)
- A corsage pin
- A cup to hold the 3” balls
- Thimble (optional)
- Pin cushion (optional)
- 1.5” ribbon for trim around the ornament
Prep:
Decide what color you want each of the rows. We’ll be making a 4 row ornament. The middle will use 5 pieces of ribbon or fabric, and each other row will use 8. Depending on which colors you want in each row, cut that many 2”x2.5” pieces from your ribbon or fabric. Remember that it is 5 for the middle of one side, and 5 for the middle of the other side, so you’ll need 10 pieces total. Once those are all cut, take your square of cardboard. Measure ¾” and cut a triangle. The ¾” straight will be used as a guide to make sure that rows are placed evenly.
Making the Ornament:
1. Put the styrofoam ball in the cup so it is stable, and using a dressmaker pin, pin the middle of a square of material to the ball. The color you use should be the one you chose for the center.
2. Take another piece of the same color and fold it in half hot-dog style, then without unfolding it, fold it hamburger style. Unfold once so you should have a folded piece of material with a crease in the middle. Put a dressmaker pin where the crease is, near the closed edge of the material. Pin the material right next to the original pin holding the first piece down. Fold down the corners to form a triangle and pin in place with 4 pins. One on each corner of the material.
3. Repeat Step 2 three more times to create a small square of 4 triangles meeting in the middle.
4. Start the next row by using your cardboard to
measure ¾” from the top of one of the triangles. Prep a piece of material the same way you did in step 2 (use a different color for this row) and place it where you measured to. Repeat this with the other 3 triangles.
5. Now that you have half of this row done, you’ll now measure from the line created between the triangles, still measuring from the middle point for the remaining four pieces.
6. Repeat steps four and five for the next two rows in the colors you picked for them. You’re halfway done! Flip the ball over and start over, trying your best to find the middle of the styrofoam so it all lines up.
7. Measure out a piece of the 1.5” trim that wraps around the middle of the ball. Hot glue this ribbon over the seam to hide the pins.
8. Cut a piece of ribbon to make the loop to hang the ornament, and secure with a corsage pin.
You can get as creative as you want with the material you use, as well as how you trim the ornament. My mom loves using glitter and frilly ribbon to trim with large bows, whereas I prefer to use old quilt material because it reminds me of my grandma’s quilts when they’re all done.
