Easy Christmas Crafts: Felt Cathedral Window Ornament

The Felt Cathedral Window ornament uses a variation of a simple quilting technique and is fun and easy using inexpensive materials and tools.

Here's a burgundy and green version with gold beads as ornaments:
Felt Cathedral Windo Ornament burgundy red and green on display
The Felt Cathedral Window Ornament is "sew" simple to make.

Let's make one using a green background for a red tree.

Easy Christmas Crafts: Felt Cathedral Window Ornament Materials and Tools:

Craft felt - one or two colors 
Fabric scrap 
Small beads (seed beads or slightly larger)
Ribbon, 1/4-inch wide
Thread 
Needle 
Pins     
Scissors   
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament pattern (click to open PDF file)
Take a look at the simple materials and tools shown here.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament materials and tools

The Steps for How to Make the Easy Christmas Crafts: Felt Cathedral Window Ornament:

Print the Felt Cathedral Window Ornament pattern.

Cut out the shapes from the felt and fabric scraps.

This example uses two different colors of felt, however a version shown further below uses just one color of felt.

Cut the ribbon 8 to 10 inches long for the hanging loop. (I guessed at the length then measured - it was 8 inches long.)
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 1 cut out shapes
Thread the needle and add a knot in one end of the thread.

Fold the ribbon in half.

Overlap the cut ends on one corner of the felt square with roughly 1/2-inch from the corner.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 2 position ribbon loop
Begin sewing the ribbon ends to the corner of the felt.

Make several (2-3) stitches, one over the other, to hold the ribbon ends.

Run the needle from the last stitch to the outer corner of the felt.

Leave the needle and thread attached.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 3 sew ribbon loop
Position the fabric square over the felt with the right side facing upward.

Center the fabric over the felt - doesn't have to be exact.

It helps to use a pin to hold the fabric. Otherwise the fabric moves as you begin to sew.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 4 position fabric square
This project uses the basic running stitch. It's a fast and easy stitch.

If you would like more help with the running stitch, go to the funEZ How to sew stitches page to get your own free e-book.

Fold over the corner of the felt into a "smile" shape and begin stitching.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 5 begin sewing edge
Use smaller stitches at the corners and longer stitches at the center of the "smile."

The resulting felt edge covers the raw edge of the fabric and forms a curve like a cathedral window.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 6 first curved edge
Continue with the second curved edge.

Form the point by making a small angular fold - the corner of the "smile."

Make smaller, closer stitches in the pointed area.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 7 start second curved edge
The two sewn edges form two of the curves that will frame the window for the tree.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 8 two curved edges
Continue sewing the next two edges like the first two.

At the ribbon point, sew the felt together over the ribbon making sure to hide any fabric raw edges.

Form a knot in the thread close to the felt but do not cut the thread.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 9 finish curved edges
Position the tree shape over the Felt Cathedral Window ornament shape with the top of the tree at the ribbon point.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 10 position tree shape
Make a hidden stitch behind the green fabric to position the needle at the top of the tree.

Begin sewing the tree shape to the fabric with small running stitches.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 11 begin sewing tree
Continue with the running stitches around the tree shape close to its edge.

Knot the thread close to the felt of the tree at the last stitch but do not cut the thread.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 12 finish sewing tree shape
Begin sewing the beads to the tree shape.

Place the first bead at the top of the tree.

Use two stitches through the hole in the bead to hold it to the tree shape.

Push the needle under the tree shape to the position of the next bead.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 13 begin adding beads
Continue adding beads to the tree as ornaments.

After the last bead is attached, knot the thread close to the bead.

Push the needle between the fabric and felt to leave a tail of thread, 1/2 to 3/4 inch.

Pull the needle out of the project and cut the thread.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 14 finish adding beads
The Felt Cathedral Window ornament is finished and ready to hang on display.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament step 15 finished on display
This next version used purple felt for the background and for the tree shape.

I also stuffed a small amount of polyfiberfill behind the tree shape, but I prefer the flat trees in the examples above.

These beads are seed beads, whereas the gold and silver beads in the first two examples are just slightly larger.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament purple version on display
As another alternative, instead of a tree shape, you can attach miniature ornaments inside the "window."

This one includes a small hat and mitten.
Felt Cathedral Window Ornament small red with miniature decorations
Inexpensive craft felt, a fabric scrap, a piece of ribbon and some beads can quickly become a fun ornament.

Just a few basic tools and simple sewing steps makes this a fun and easy sewing project - even for the novice sewers.

Have fun!

The Felt Cathedral Window ornament can be fun addition to tree, a cabinet pull, a desk drawer pull or anywhere to brighten someone's day.
funEZ Bazaar
funEZcrafts
Welcome
Come on in and stay awhile...
funEZcrafts
Welcome
Come on in and stay awhile...
Christmas Project Image Menus:
Christmas Project Image Menus: