Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Snowflakes in my Holly

**This tutorial is intended for personal use only.**

It is exciting to add a new ornament or two to the tree each year. This is a quick and easy project that can be whipped up in no time flat and is sure to leave you with oodles of spare time to bake up those cookies and wrap up those presents.

This project requires small pieces of green and red fabric, white felt, Heat 'n Bond Ultra, cardboard, 2 white buttons, 8" piece of gold thread, pencil for tracing, hot glue, sewing needle and red thread, an iron and pressing surface, and scissors.

To create the large leaf pattern, start with a piece of paper that is 2 inches in length by 7/8 inches in width. Divide into three parts as shown in the diagram. Draw a holly leaf shape within the space as shown. Both sides of the leaf should be a mirror image of the other.
To create the small leaf pattern, start with a piece of paper that is 1-1/2 inches in length by 5/8 inches in width. Divide into three parts as shown in the diagram. Draw a holly leaf shape within the space as shown. Both sides of the leaf should be a mirror image of the other.
Cut the shapes from the paper and transfer the shapes to carboard. This will become your leaf patterns.


Along with the holly leaves, you will need a 3" circle and two 1-3/8" circles with a small hole in the center.


Trace 8 large and 8 small holly leaf shapes onto the non-glue side of a sheet of Heat 'n Bond Ultra. Iron the Heat 'n Bond onto the wrong side of a piece of green fabric. Cut out all 16 leaf shapes.


Remove the paper backing and iron 4 large and 4 small holly leaf shapes onto white felt. Be sure to leave a minimum of 3/8" between the shapes.


Cut around each leaf shape leaving a scant 1/8" margin of felt around the edges.


Turn holly leaves over with the plain side of the felt facing up. Fuse the remaining fabric leaf shapes to the felt. Bonding both sides adds stability to the holly leaves and also adds a finish to both sides.


To make the holly berries, use the 3" circle template to cut two fabric circles from red fabric.


With needle and thread, take a 1/4" running stitch around the perimeter of the fabric circle, folding in the raw edges approx. 1/8" as you sew.


Place cardboard in the center.


Gather and knot securely.


Sew a white button to the center of the holly berry. The hole in the cardboard is there to make sewing on the button easier. Repeat this process with the second fabric round.


Glue the eight holly leaves to the wrong side of the first holly berry, alternating large and small leaves as you go around. Glue the second berry on top to hide the mechanics.


Sew an 8" piece of gold thread into the felt portion of one of the large holly leaves, approx. 3/8" from the top.


A quick and easy Holly Leaf Snowflake to brighten up your tree. Imagine a white Christmas tree with nothing but these snowflakes, shiny red bulbs, and twinkling white lights. Not exactly traditional, but it works for me.


Enjoy!

Aloha!

19 comments:

Marnie said...

Beau-tee-ful! I must try to put a couple of these together before Christmas! Thanks for yet another wonderful tutorial!

Марина Сохончук said...

Thank you the cute tutorial!!

Tudy said...

Cute ornament. Thanks for making it.

Stephanie D said...

That's so cute!

Do you do Thanksgiving in November like the mainland, Lettie, or does Hawaii have its own kind of day, being as it came into statehood not so long ago?

Jilly's Space said...

You always have the best tutorials..thank-you :-)

sweetiepie said...

Cute ornamnent, Lettie!!! You are so creative. I bet your house looks so festive for the holidays.

Take care.

Red Geranium Cottage said...

How do you always come up with this different stuff? You are amazing.
I hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving.
Hugs

Ninu said...

Cute ornament,very innovative idea and a very neat tutorial.. thank you!!!

ZlataR said...

So beautiful! Thank you for this wonderful tutorial!

made with love said...

Now that is sooo sweet. Thanks for the tutorial.
Rachael XX

Janine said...

Thats a fine ornament.
Thanks for sharing your precious How- to- do- hints.

kloberley said...

Very cute and easy to follow directions. I whipped one up this morning. Thanks.

Jenny said...

This is adorable. And I have the perfect fabric for it! Thanks for sharing the idea!

emy said...

Delizioso come sempre! Grazie Arlette!!!
Buon fine settimana!!

Odette said...

¡¡¡¡¡BELLISIMO!!!!!
FELICITACIONES
CARIÑOS
ODETTE

Kim Brackett said...

Works for me, too! That's so adorable!

Kristin said...

Absolutely gorgeous Lettie! BTW, email me if I don't remember to send you the picture in the next week or so.

Red Geranium Cottage said...

Hey Lettie........are you ok?? i've missed hearing from you on Facebook. I hope everything's ok.
Hugs

Anonymous said...

beautiful ,!!!!!! i'm sara from Argentina ,merry cristmas sara.