If you love to sew, you can make a variety of beautiful Christmas crafts to give as gifts or use to decorate your own home. Whether you're an expert seamstress or just purchased your first sewing machine, these crafts will be perfect for you.
Cookie Cutter Ornaments
This easy ornament project is perfect for sewing with kids. You don't even need a sewing machine to make these cute ornaments.
Things You'll Need
- Craft felt in several colors
- Erasable fabric marker
- Embroidery floss in desired color
- Thin ribbon
- Fiberfill stuffing
- Embroidery needle and scissors
- Christmas cookie cutters
What to Do
- On a piece of felt, trace around the outside of a Christmas cookie cutter with a fabric marker. Shapes like trees, bells, and stars work especially well.
- Use your scissors to cut out the shape, cutting about ¼ inch outside the line you drew. Cut out two identical pieces for each ornament.
- Using embroidery floss, sew a blanket stitch around the edge of the shape. Leave a two-inch opening.
- Stuff the ornament with the fiberfill, and sew the remaining portion closed. Insert a loop of ribbon into the top seam of the ornament, and sew it in place.
Download Free Christmas Craft Patterns
Simple Felt Stocking
It's easy to make a simple stocking out of craft felt. These mini stockings can be perfect for little gifts or as a Christmas surprise for a special pet. This project uses many of the same techniques as the cookie cutter ornaments and is perfect for sewing with children.
Things You'll Need
- Craft felt in desired color
- White craft felt
- Embroidery floss and needle
- Scissors
- ¼-inch wide ribbon
- Erasable fabric marker
What to Do
- Draw a stocking shape in the desired size on one of the pieces of craft felt. Cut this shape out, and use it as a pattern to cut a second, identical shape. Cut out two white felt rectangles for the top edge of the stocking.
- Attach one white felt rectangle to each side of the stocking. If desired, embroider the recipient's name on one side.
- Use a blanket stitch to sew around the edge of the stocking, leaving the top open.
- Sew a loop of ribbon to the top of the stocking, so you can hang it if you want to.
- If desired, embellish the stocking with holiday ric-rac or other trim.
Basic Tree Skirt
Making a tree skirt may seem like an intimidating project, but the basic design is really quite simple. You can use appliqué or embroidery to give this simple tree skirt extra beauty and create an heirloom for your family.
Things You'll Need
- Two yards of Christmas-colored felt
- Christmas-colored rick-rack or braid
- Three frog closures
- Embroidery floss and needle
- Sewing machine and thread
- Piece of string
- Measuring tape, regular pencil, and fabric pencil
- Round food storage container
- Scissors and pins
What to Do
- Fold the two-yard piece of felt in half. Measure to find the middle of the folded edge. Mark this spot with a fabric pencil.
- Tie one end of the piece of string to the regular pencil. Tie the other end to the fabric pencil, making sure the distance between the two is 28 inches.
- With one hand, hold the regular pencil on the spot you made on the folded edge of the fabric. With the other hand, keep the string taught and draw a half circle along the fabric. Position the food storage container so that half of it is on the fabric, and draw around the edge. Cut out both circles to create a tree skirt. Cut a straight line out from the center to create an opening.
- Use the embroidery floss to do a blanket stitch all the way around the raw edges of the tree skirt.
- With your sewing machine, decorate the tree skirt with rick-rack or braid. Consider adding appliqués of snowflakes, Santas, gifts, or other holiday decorations.
- Attach the frog closures to the open edge of the tree skirt, so you can fasten it around the tree.
Easy Christmas Half Apron
For most families, Christmas involves a lot of time in the kitchen. You can wear this apron while making Christmas cookies or preparing the holiday meal, and it will add a little extra joy to your festivities.
Things You'll Need
- One yard Christmas-print cotton fabric
- One and a half yards three-inch-wide satin ribbon in a matching color
- Sewing machine and thread
- Scissors
- Iron
What to Do
- Cut the Christmas fabric to the desired length, usually about 24 inches. Hem three sides of the fabric, and gather the remaining side.
- Fold the ribbon in half lengthwise, and use the iron to crease this fold.
- Insert the raw gathered edge of the fabric in the fold of the ribbon, and use the sewing machine to stitch it in place. Sew the remaining portion of the ribbon closed to make two ties.
- If desired, add pockets or other decorations to your apron.
Holiday Dinner Napkins
Christmas dinner is a big event in many homes, and you can make your own holiday napkins to use year after year. Napkins are easy to make, so they are perfect for beginning seamstresses. These instructions make four napkins.
Things You'll Need
- One and a half yards holiday-print cotton fabric
- One and a half yards plain cotton fabric
- Measuring tape and scissors
- Sewing machine and thread
- Iron
What to Do
- Cut four 24-inch squares out of each piece of fabric. Select one square of each color, and stack them with the right sides together.
- Sew around three of the four sides. Turn the napkin right side out, and iron it. Turn in the remaining side, and top stitch the open end closed. Top stitch the other three sides for a finished look.
- Repeat with the remaining three napkins.
Making Memories
Making Christmas sewing crafts is a great way to get into the holiday spirit and make gifts. Whether you sew alone or with a child, you'll be making memories as well as heirloom holiday projects.
