I made a list of 37 Christmas Decor Items to Sew, Start Now!, by Brittany's Day Off on YouTube. 20 min 13 s.
- Video length
- 20 min 13 s
- Time to do it
- About 1 hour
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Pick your project from the list and note the finished size, so you know how much felt, fabric and trim to buy before you cut anything.
Draw a simple leaf shape on paper and cut it out as a template. Make two or three sizes so the finished garland looks natural.
Trace the template onto felt with tailor's chalk and cut the leaves with sharp fabric scissors. About 20 to 30 leaves makes a garland around 2 metres long.
Lay the leaves along the floor and overlap them slightly, mixing sizes and shades, until the spacing looks right before you sew.
Sew each leaf to a length of twine or ribbon with a few small stitches, or run a machine straight stitch down the middle of each leaf.
Leave 20 cm of twine free at both ends for hanging loops and tie a small knot on each side so the leaves cannot slide.
Hang the garland on a mantel, shelf or tree and turn the leaves so they face different ways for a fuller look.
Tips and common mistakes
Felt does not fray, so you can leave the leaf edges raw and skip any hemming.
Wool blend felt holds its shape better than cheap acrylic felt, which pills when you stitch it.
Use a slightly longer stitch length on felt so the needle does not tear the fibres.
Fabric scissors are sharp, so cut away from your fingers and close the blades when you set them down.
Questions
How much felt do I need for one garland?
One A4 sheet gives roughly six to eight small leaves, so a 2 metre garland needs about four to six sheets. Buy one extra sheet in a contrast shade for variety.
Can I make this without a sewing machine?
Yes. A needle and thread with a simple running stitch holds the leaves on just as well. Hand sewing the whole garland takes about an hour.
Which other Christmas projects are good for a beginner?
Start with fabric gift bags, a coffee cup cozy or felt tree ornaments. They use small pieces of fabric and basic straight seams, so you can finish one in an evening.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
