Kids love to make holiday decorations. Simple and durable ones can be made with cookie cutters, felt, and imagination. No sewing is required! The cookie cutters are used as templates for making the ornaments—or, use Aunt Annie's printable pattern with Christmas-themed templates. Spend a chilly afternoon with your kids making these ornaments. You will cherish their handmade creations for years to come.
This craft project requires few materials and is great for family, classroom, or group craft time. With simple modifications and preparations, this craft can be enjoyed by children and adults of all ages.
» » Basic Craft Box plus felt, cookie cutters, ribbon, and white cardstock. « «
Read through the project and gather the materials needed for making the felt ornaments. If you are doing this project with a group, pre-cutting the cardstock and felt in sizes to fit the cookie cutters makes the craft go faster. You might also pre-select a set of markers in colors that coordinate with the felt you are using.
Instead of cookie cutters you may also want to make some ornament templates that can be traced. Create your own or download Aunt Annie's Felt Ornament Templates pattern and print it on cardstock. Pre-cut enough templates so that there is one template for every three or four people making felt ornaments.
Trace around the cookie cutter with a pencil onto white cardstock or a paper plate. Trace as many ornaments as you like onto the cardstock.
Color the traced shape anyway you like, using markers, crayons, or colored pencils. Use colors that coordinate with the color of felt you are using. For best results, use one or two colors. Simple lines, circles, and squares are easy. For added interest, vary the widths of the lines.
Cut out the colored shape. Also, cut a length of ribbon or string about 8" long to use as a hanger.
Glue the ornament cutout to the felt with the hanger secured between the cutout and the felt. Spread waxed paper to protect your work surface. Use a toothpick or a foam brush to spread a thin layer of white glue on the back of the ornament cutout. Form a loop with the ribbon and secure the ends on the back of the ornament before gluing the cutout to the felt.
Let the glue dry. It you have time, let the glue dry overnight with the ornament pressed under a book. (Protect the book with plastic wrap or waxed paper.)
Trim away the felt around the edge of the ornament, leaving a ¼" border of felt.
If you like, the felt back of the ornament can be decorated, too. Cut scraps of contrasting felt in circles or strips to use as decorations. Adhere the felt pieces to the felt on the ornament using tacky glue, fabric glue, or double-sided hemming tape.
That's it! Your ornaments are
ready to hang!