Free DIY Tutorial : Christmas Ornament / Bag Charm

Update (04/17/2916): Blue Buddha Boutique is closing its door permanently. The link to their website (below) is no longer active.

Bag Charm/Ornament: Joyce @ Angelica Brigade
Nails: Illamasqua rubber finish nail varnish in Nurture

Supplies:

• Template [ Free download: half pattern // whole pattern ]
• Stiffened felt*
• DMC Cotton Perle Embroidery Floss #5 in burgundy and oatmeal
• 3mm fire-polished beads (in silver)
• #6 round seed beads (silver-lined)
• #11 cylinder beads (opaque nickle finished – or, if you are allergic to nickle: palladium-finished)
• 5/8″ millinery grosgrain ribbon (in  brandy) – the length of ribbon needed: Approx. 14-15″
• Beading thread (I use Nymo D in white)
• Permanent fabric glue –  I use Fabri-Tac
• 3/8″ mandrel (14 gauge) aluminum jump ring (I got mine at Blue Buddha Boutique – but, you can also use a split ring)
• Swivel clip
• #1 embroidery needle
• #12 English beading needle
• Optional: Felt or ultrasuede to cover the back of the ornament/bag charm
• Optional: Hot-melt glue
• A pair of pliers (to open and close the jump ring – if you use a split ring, you won’t need the pliers)
• Pencil (to trace the design) & scissors

Techniques:

• Satin stitch
• Backstitch
• Lazy stitch (the bottom right diagram)
• Clean edge finishing (the technique seen in #14-17 of that page)

Step One:
Trace the pattern onto the stiffened felt and then cut the pattern with 1/8″ (3 mm) seam allowance

(Steps two & three: Please refer to Figure 1 for reference)
Step Two:
“Color” the design using satin stitch
Use the #5 embroidery floss with #1 embroidery needle

figure 1

Step Three:
Bead the outline of the design using 3mm fire-polished beads
Start from the middle
Bead the edges last

Step Four:
Cut approx. 4″ of grosgrain ribbon and fold it in half
Stitch the ribbon onto the back  side of the piece

Step Five:
Lazy stitch the #11 cylinder beads on the upper part of the design
(the empty spot I marked on Figure 1)

Step Six:
Trim the excess stiffened felt
Try to match the edges of the stiffened felt with the outermost edges of the fire-polished beads
While cutting the felt, keep your scissors perpendicular to the floor
And, be careful not to cut the tread with which you beaded the piece

Step Seven
If you want to use it as a Christmas tree ornament, you might want to repeat Steps 1-3 and 5-6
and glue the identical pieces back to back
– or –
You can glue it onto a piece of felt or ultrasuede
(Note: The quality and thickness of the felt or ultrasuede matters as the glue might seep through and stain thinner fabrics)

USEFUL TIP:
If you decide to glue it onto a piece of felt or ultrasuede
Lining the top edge of the beaded ornament with a straight edge of the felt can make the trimming process much easier

Step Seven:
Bead the outermost edge of the design using #6 round seed beads
Use clean edge finishing technique <— the technique seen in #14-17 of that page

Step Eight:
Make a bow using using 10″ grosgrain ribbon
Dab a dot of hot-melt glue on the back of the ribbon and stick it onto the design
Tips:
Prewashing this ribbon can prevent it from fraying
But, if I use craft-store-bought ribbon, I usually melt its ends with candle flame
(If you decide to do the same, please proceed with caution)

Step Nine:
Using a jump ring or split ring, connect the swivel clip onto the loop of ribbon on the top part of the ornament.

Feel free to reproduce this ornament/bag charm for commercial purposes, BUT:
On your product description, please write: “Original design by Joyce at www.angelica-brigade.com“
&
Since I won’t be the person who create the piece you’ll sell in your shop . . . To avoid possible misunderstandings . . . Please use your own images to market your version(s) of this ornament/bag charm

If you have any question, please don’t hesitate to contact me by writing a comment on the reply box below. (Don’t worry if you don’t see your message on this page right away)

Alternately, you can also contact me via Facebook

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This upcoming Sunday:
Failed! And learned (a lot!!) from that failure – A misadventure in designing a hair accessory

Next Wednesday:
Free Tutorial: Christmas-Themed Hair Accessory

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