Hand-made ornaments bring magical elegance to the time-honored tradition of decorating a pine tree brought indoors to admire and wonder anew at the beauty and sought-after peace of the season.

Use easy-to-sew pre-printed themed fabric to cut and sew handfuls of delightful quick and easy to make ornaments. Cut out stockings, snow-people, bears, gingerbread men, holiday stars, candy canes and the like from the fabric background, back with felt and machine satin-stitch edges and a few of the fabrics design elements, add a loop of twisted gold threads or yarn for hanging on the tree or connect the ornaments for a whimsical garland.

If the holiday-themed fabric is a cheery swirl of color but no defined shapes to cut out, use large cookie cutter shapes as templates to cut out your trees, stars, stockings and the like, embellish with bits of lace, buttons and ribbons to add a hint of definition, back the shape with felt, stuff with a bit of polyester fiberfill if you’d like and use a machine satin stitch to outline the edges. The edges of the ornament could also be encased by hand with an overcast stitch (blanket stitch would do fine) applied with some contrasting or coordinating embroidery floss.

Another quick and easy holiday ornament to sew would be to stencil or stamp a holiday design onto a small piece of plain muslin fabric, cut out around the design using a square, triangle, bell, tree or star shape. Cut a similar shape out of muslin, place right sides together, stitch a straight 1/4" seam around all edges, leaving an opening for turning right-sides out, lightly stuff, and hand stitch the opening closed. Add a hanging loop, embellish with a raffia bow, tiny bell or small pine cone and ribbon for added country charm.

No-sew ornament: Cut out a lace motif from white lace yardage or trim. Using a small soft brush, apply white craft glue to the back of the cut out and press onto a white or clear round ornament. Brush the white glue over the front of the lace and sprinkle with glitter. Let dry, then thread white ribbon through the ornament’s topper for a glittery, dainty creation.

Sew small white buttons in a star or snowflake shape onto the back of a pair of red or green small wool mittens. Lightly stuff then sew the mitten's opening closed, add a festive plaid ribbon to connect the pair together to form a long loop perfect to hang over a branch on the tree.

Several stacked shiny ribbon loops continuously tacked together can imitate old-fashioned ribbon candy. Use glittery beads to separate the layers for an easy sew ornament.

Lastly, use small pieces of colorful felt to create tiny stockings or colorful bird shapes. Edge sew with contrasting embroidery floss for accent.

Sew happy, sew well.

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