Decorating the holiday tree is a time-honored tradition. Sewing a few handmade decorations is both satisfying in creating something special and knowing that the ornaments contribute to a festive holiday welcome.

Pre-printed holiday themed fabric can be used to cut and sew several 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 for support and machine stitch edges using an overcast stitch or hand stitch edges using a blanket stitch. 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 other shapes, embellish with bits of lace, buttons and ribbons, back the shape with felt or self-fabric, lightly stuff with a bit of polyester fiberfill if you’d like and machine zig-zag stitch to secure the edges. Again, the edges of the ornament could also be overcast by hand with a blanket stitch applied with contrasting embroidery floss for bright definition.

Another quick and easy holiday ornament to sew would be to cut out two matching pieces of felt using simple shapes like heart or square and stitch together. Hand stitch a piece of lace motif to the center of one side, or attach lace using fabric adhesive. A homespun look that is once elegant and charming is to finish with a blanket edge stitch in a contrasting color to the felt background. Add a thread loop hanger to the top. This ornament can also adorn wrapped presents as well for a holiday touch, then hung on the holiday tree.

Sew small white buttons in a star or snowflake shape onto one side of a pair of red or green small felt mitten shapes. Cut out the same shape to use for backing. Use a running stitch around the mitten, leaving a small opening to lightly stuff then sew the mitten's opening closed. Add a festive plaid ribbon or red velvet bow and loop to connect the pair together to hang over a branch on the tree.

Sew happy, sew inspired.