Fabric Ornament Parade Week 1

Today is the first day for the Fabric Ornament Parade!

Each week, I will be posting a different tutorial on how to make several different fabric ornaments.

All of these tutorials use the Crafter’s Edge Crossover II cutting machine, but each can also be made without one.

To get updated when I post a new tutorial/blog post all you need to do is enter your email address and subscribe!

This week I will help you create an ornament that has been buzzing around the web for several years.

This week we will be making the Folded Hexagon Star Ornament.

I have found several tutorials on how to make it and mine will be the next one added to the list but I did some digging and I think I found who is the original designer-Mary Anne Ciccotelli. Find her instructions here.

Folded Hexagon Star Ornament

Supplies:

• Crafter’s Edge Crossover II
• Hexagon die set (Half or Whole Increments-I used the 1/2″ increments)
• Light Fusible interfacing
• Fabric
• Needle
• Matching Thread
• Button or other embellishment

You don’t have to use the Crossover II and dies to make this project. You can draft your own hexagon templates or use a hexagon ruler you already have. Using the Crossover II machine allowed me to make several sizes and cut out several perfect hexagons at a time.

Instructions:

1. Fuse your interfacing and fabric together. Cut out your hexagon.
2. Fold your hexagon points and finger press to create crease lines to find the center of the hexagon and the center of each side.
3. Mark the center and side centers.
4. Using matching thread (mine is red for better visual) tack your thread to the center of the hexagon.
5. Take your thread and poke your needle through one of the side center points you marked.
6. Tack that side to the center.
7. Again, take your thread and poke your needle though the next side center point you marked and tack it to the center just as you did in the step before.
8. Repeat step 7 till you have tacked all sides to the center of your hexagon. You should have 6 flaps.
9. Take one of the flaps and flatten it. Finger press and make sure the raw edges are even.
10. Pull the tip of the flattened flap up onto itself till the edges slightly overlap and finger press.
11. Fold the tip of the flap to the center of the hexagon covering all raw edges.
12. With your needle and thread tack to your hexagon.
13. Repeat steps 9-12 with all 6 flaps. (WATCH THE VIDEO BELOW FOR BETTER ILLUSTRATION)
14. Tie off your thread to finish your hexagon star or add embellishments such as buttons or yo-yo’s
15. To make this an ornament, add a hanging string or decorative metal hook when finished.

Like I said above, the Crafter’s Edge gave me several sizes to play with. Check out the sizes created using the 6.5″, 5.5″, 4.5″, 3.5″ and even 2.5″! dies.

The hexagons make the following sizes:

• 6.5″ makes a 3″
• 5.5″ makes a 2.5″
• 4.5″ makes a 2″
• 3.5″ makes a 1.5″
• 2.5″ makes a 1″

The 2.5″ die gave me another idea for a fabric ornament. Check back or subscribe to find out what I make with them!

These are so fun and so easy to make once you get the folding and tacking techniques down. I like to slightly press mine before I add any embellishments. It really helps crisp up the edges and folds.

I tried to make some without interfacing. I found that it didn’t provide the same effect and was a lot harder to put together. When I pressed it, the entire thing went completely flat and the star almost faded into the background. Even my 2.5″ hexagon has interfacing.

I hope you enjoyed the first fabric ornament of my Fabric Ornament Parade. Each week during the month of November I will be posting different fabric ornament tutorials to get everyone excited for the holiday season.

If you cant wait till next week, check out my clay ornament tutorial here!

Happy Sewing!

Starting to bloom by choosing JOY ~ Julia