Not sure how to get going with my ornaments? You've come to the right place!
My PDFs are not just patterns, they are more like a craft class on paper. Each downloadable, digital project includes:
- Comprehensive materials list
- Step-by-step instructions with clear illustrations
- Lovely sample photos
- Additional tips, tricks, stitch guides
- Sources for materials and kits
- Contact information in case you get stuck
Getting started is easy as 1, 2, 3:
1) THE SECRET: SIMPLY STITCH ON THE LINES
The secret to making my heirloom ornaments is Sulky Stick 'n Stitch. Love this stuff. Seriously the best thing to ever happen to felt crafting since the sheep. It's a water soluble, adhesive, printable stabilizer. Simply print my pattern on the Stick 'n Stitch, adhere it to wool felt, then stitch right on the pre-printed lines.
No need to trace pattern pieces or hand transfer embroidery designs. FANTASTIC. When the stitching is done, simply soak the stabilizer away in water and air-dry your pieces. Tada! You are left with perfectly executed embroidered designs on wool felt, which you will sew together to create your beautiful ornament.
You may be saying to yourself, "Wait, doesn't wool felt shrink? How does that work?"
You are correct! It does shrink. Which is why my instructions direct you to pre-shrink the felts by simply wetting them in water and letting them air dry before you begin your project.
2) CHOOSE THE RIGHT PATTERN FOR YOU:
- All of my patterns assume you have basic sewing and embroidery skills, and can understand common sewing terms. I include basic stitch diagrams in the Resources section of my patterns, but if you need to brush up on your skills this is a great place to start.
- Choose Partridge & Pear if you want to get started using Sulky Stick 'n Stitch.
- Choose Snow Bird if you'd rather use the freezer paper method of tracing and don't mind working with a few sequins and beads.
- If you'd like to graduate to my intermediate level patterns, my entire Twelve Days series makes a great heirloom ornament primer. The Twelve Days patterns are designed to increase in complexity from 1-12, so if you make them in order you will build your skills and be ready to jump into an intermediate ornament series after finishing.
- If you already have experience in this type of hand sewing/small-scale crafting OR have completed my Twelve Days series, then you can handle my intermediate ornaments. My intermediate patterns have the same format and step-by-step instructions as all my patterns, only with more delightful details, smaller pieces, sparkly bits, and additional crafting materials.
- Intermediate ornament series include 'Twas The Night and Ebenezer.
