I had the idea for these felt baubles (I think in the USA they are called ornaments?) whilst watching Kirstie Allsop blow a glass bauble on last night's "Kirstie's Handmade Christmas"...I am loving that series!!
Anyway I sewed one this morning and thought you may want to make some for your tree or mantlepiece so here goes...
You will need:
sheets of felt in the colours you choose for the bauble body to match your scheme (at least 8" by 8")
beige felt for bauble top (a scrap will do)
Polyfil or other stuffing material
embroidery threads to match all felt colours
gold embroidery thread
craft glue
paintbrush or cotton wool bud
1 gold leaf sheet
1. Download the pdf template here, cut out the paper pieces and pin them to your felt. Cut around each.
2. Sew in a loose running stitch around the edge of the main bauble body, leaving the ends of the thread free.
3. Pull both ends of the thread until the felt is as tight as possible and tie the two ends in a knot. Cut the ends of the thread off.
4. Stuff the bauble as tightly as possible. This will take more stuffing than you think! I use my thumbs to do this whilst adjusting the bauble with my fingers and palms as I go to make a ball, but you can use a pencil or other device to stuff the filling in.
5. Roll the long edge piece into a circle and pin. At this stage check the size of your circle against the top piece and readjust if necessary. Sew along the edge to form a circle.
6. Pin the top piece to your circle and sew around the edge.
7. Thread a piece of gold thread up and back down through the top piece and knot the ends underneath so there is a loop you will later use to hang the bauble over your tree branch.
8. Stuff the top piece and pin it over the collected hole in the bauble body, sew the edge closed.
You can stop here as the bauble is complete, but if you want a little bit extra sparkle...
9. Brush the edge of the top with glue and press gold leaf round. After a few minutes carefully tear the extra leaf edges away so the gold covers the edge. Don't worry if there are some holes and the edge is not neat, it all adds to the effect ;)
Perfect ;)
You can embellish your baubles with other colours of felt, embroidery, beads and anything else that takes you fancy and fits your scheme...you can also use copper, bronze or silver leaf (if you want to use silver use light grey felt instead of beige for the bauble top)
Hang on your tree and enjoy!
(Feel free to link to this tutorial and make as many as you like for yourself or family but please do not use my pattern to make any to sell)

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