Supplies Needed:
Stitched piece
Red Material with tiny white polka dots (or your personal choice)
Green 1/2 inch Ribbon
Green 3/16 inch Ribbon (for hanger)
Polyester Fiber Fill
Scissors
Rotary Cutter
Large Quadrant Ruler/Self-Healing Cutting Mat
Needle/Thread
Sewing Machine
Fusible Interfacing
Corner Tool
Chopstick (or long (12 in) dowel Rod) for stuffing
Stitch the ornament "Dear Santa" as directed using Country Cottage Needleworks design purchased from your Needlework Store of choice. "Dear Santa" is simply a pillow ornament. You may follow the general instructions for finishing a pillow ornament using the pictorial tutorial authored by myself on this site, entitled: The Pillow Ornament
*NOTE* I have piece a 2 1/2 piece of red/white polka dot fabric on the right-hand side of the ornament. After viewing The Pillow Ornament tutorial for general instructions and "know how" follow these simple steps to create your very own "Dear Santa" ornament.
Step One:
Taking your completed stitched piece, Trim all sides to 3/4 inch from stitching. Cut a piece of the complimenting fabric for the right hand side to the same height as the ornament and 2 1/2 inches wide. Using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, sew the fabric to the right-hand side of the stitched piece. Press with iron.
Step Two:
Cut a backing piece and two pieces of fusible interfacing (one for front and one for backing). Set aside.
Step Three:
Take a length of 1/2 inch green ribbon, fit on top of the seam made from stitching the polka dot fabric, center it, then sew using a 1/16 inch seam along the edge of the ribbon next to the stitching, then again next to the polka dot fabric. Press lightly with iron.
Step Four:
Press the interfacing onto the back side of the stitched piece and the backside of the backing material.
Step Five:
Cut a length of 3/16 green ribbon (for the hanger) how ever long you want the hanger to be, I would suggest cutting about 8 inches and then play with the length before you sew it determining the length you want. Using pins, measure in 1/2 inch from top right and left hand corners of ornament. You will then pin the end of the ribbon on each corner, you will sew the ribbon into the seam. To do this make sure that your ribbon makes a "U" (from corner to corner) against the face of the ornament. When you sew the pillow ornament and turn it out the hanger will come out so that when it hangs it will be an upside down "U".
Step Six:
Use the tutorial "The Pillow Ornament.." to sew your ornament.
Step Seven:
STUFF, STUFF, STUFF firmly using a chopstick to to get all the corners firmly stuffed.
**HINT** I firmly pack all four corners, paying attention to getting them heavily stuffed and pointy. Once all of the ornament is stuffed, turn your iron on steam and FROM THE BACKSIDE steam iron, pressing FIRMLY to shape and smooth the stuffing. This is a huge hint and one that I've learned from over the years. This will cut down on the "fatness" of your ornament, but will smooth the ornament perfectly.
Step Eight:
Blind stitch your ornament closed. Steam Iron again to straighten any seams.
Step Nine:
make a bow and tack it onto your ornament front as shown in picture above.
~Admire your beautiful work~
Use my tutorials, copy my ideas, use my techniques, hints or tips? Please remember to give credit to my name: Vonna, The Twisted Stitcher ~ Thank you.
