PREMISE
Every year I look for inspiration to create placeholders for Christmas lunch (luckily we’re not too many people at lunch, otherwise I should start working in September 😬). I always look for something that we all could reuse the following year.
With patience, needle and thread, I decided to try the blanket stitch (or buttonhole stitch).
Years before I went to “Fiera di Bergamo – Creattiva” (a famous Italian fair about DIY and sewing) and I had the opportunity to attend a workshop with Evelyne of Country Dolls. She is a very interesting and lovely person who decided to change her life by dedicating herself to fabrics and creativity…a dream for many DIY lovers! Thanks to her I learned this technique and I did a cute keychain!
Years later, therefore, I decided to reinterpret the technique in a Christmas perspective and I created what you can see in the images at the page’s end.
All with a mini-slot on top so, after Christmas lunch or in the following years, you can hang them on the Christmas tree or around the house!
HOW TO DO?
Since unfortunately I am not good at drawing at all, in order to make them, I simply searched online the images I wanted (reindeer, Christmas tree, Santa’s boot, etc.), I saved them in a word document and I adapted the fit of them to the size I wanted.
After that, I brought the drawings back on the felt and I cut them in two parts (front and back); I suggest you to take the two parts, to start sewing with blanket stitch and to slowly insert the padding.
Sew and padd, sew and padd until it is finished.
TIPS:
- Print the pattern a little bit bigger than you would like it will be because with padding and seams we always need a few centimeters more;
- Avoid drawings with too many tips or corners and prefer rounded designs (so, unless you’re super good and precise, but also extremely patient, avoid the stars 😊);
- If you want to add details (letters, buttons, etc), I suggest you to do it before sewing and padding.
Unfortunately I didn’t do a video-tutorial yet, but for any questions you can write me here!
- About the Author
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Hi, I’m Eleonora. I grew up in Milan and have been living in London since 2019. I left a corporate career to turn my lifelong passion for crafts into a full-time creative business. Creating with my hands has always been part of who I am – from crochet to sewing, from small handmade projects to full garments. I also have a soft spot for animals, especially cats. I started crocheting at a young age and later taught myself how to sew through books and online tutorials. Over time, I began experimenting with different techniques, patterns, and materials, discovering just how powerful and calming handmade creativity can be. That journey led me to share my knowledge online, first through YouTube and later through classes, patterns, and workshops. Today, I’m a crochet and embroidery teacher, helping others learn at their own pace and find confidence through making.
