Paper Finial Ornament with Amy Heller

 

 

Hi everyone! It's Amy Heller here today to bring you a super, super easy mini holiday tutorial on how to create your very own finial ornament out of paper. 

 

The idea for this blossomed out a few different ideas. First, I'm loving sewing my own paper banners and garlands, and second, I was remembering back to my own childhood and we had a couple different free hanging felt displays that were constructed very similarly to the paper garlands I've been making this past year. My grandmother had made them, and every time you walked past them, or under them, they would move so elegantly and twist and turn and rotate exposing the front and back sides of the felt. I loved the motion they would create, so I thought how could I create something similar with paper? First, I wanted to recreate that felt Christmas tree that we had as a child, but in paper, but then as I was creating it, I discovered something, a) simpler and b) up my alley style wise. 

 

Source: zulily.com via Pinterest

I love finial ornaments, particularly made of mercury glass. There's something nostalgic, elegant and oh, so beautiful about these delicate ornaments. I have several on our tree that I love. While creating my paper garland, I found these beauties on Pinterest, and thought I would try to use the shapes as inspiration for my project, thus making an ornament with the same movement and whimsy as my grandmother's felt decoration but with my own love of finial ornaments. 

 

So this is what I did! And here's how I created it!

 

Required Supplies: 

- 3 different sizes of circle punches. I also mixed things up by using a scallop circle as one of my punches.

- Coordinating patterned paper

- Sewing Machine (make sure both your bobbin and main thread match)

 

First thing you are going to do is punch out lots of circles, then group them together by size and color as desired. 

Next step, is to lay your punches out in a design you find pleasing - keep them in this order next to your sewing machine.

Stack three of each of the same three sizes of circles on each other, all flush with one another.

Let out a long bit of thread and bobbin thread before you begin sewing, as this will create your loop to hang on the tree when finished.

Set down the foot of your sewing machine on your first set of circles so they don't move around.

One stack at a time, sew a straight stitch all the way through the center of each - from end to end. 

Continue sewing past the end of the stack just a few stitches, then carefully, set the next stack of three circles under the foot of your machine. Continue this process for your entire design, making sure to keep the order of your original design. Go slow - there's no need to have your machine on a fast setting - in fact, I put mine on the slowest, just so I would ensure my desired spacing.

Open up your paper stacks to create a three dimensional orb look to each layer of your ornament. This will create a lovely rotation that will reveal the beautiful double sides to your patterned paper. 

Once finished, leave a bit of thread at the bottom of the ornament. If you wish, add beads or buttons to the bottom. I decided to leave mine with whisps, as I love the free feel of it, adding to the movement of my ornament, when I have it on an outside branch. Just tie a loop in the top of your ornament with your thread, and there you have it, you're ready to place it on the tree!

And that's it! So simple! Thanks so much for stopping by today! Hope you have a wonderful day!

~

And because Amy recently sent to us a bunch of brand new, beautiful cards, we're taking advantage of this moment to post them so that our audience can fully enjoy them just as we already have. There are a total of four to admire...

Comments

[Julie Tucker-Wolek]

Absolutely GORGEOUS! All of it! I loveeeeeeeeeee that ornament and loving the cards! :):):):):):)

[Amanda Coleman]

Love the ornaments! Such a fun idea!

[MichelleGB]

Love the ornaments and the cards are fabulous! Thank you for the tutorial! Now I need to get me some of those stunning mercury glass ornaments too!

[Pendra]

Wonderfully fun idea, love those ornaments and the cards are adorable as well! Great post, thanks for the tutorial!

[Lorraine Castellon-Rowe]

Oh...love the ornament!! Thank you for the tutorial too!!! I just can't let Christmas go just yet so I'm making some of these AND I am going to make some heart shaped ones for Valentine's Day!!! Thanks again for the great idea!!