Icy Snowflakes
Designer: Jann Williams
Materials
- Scraps of assorted 100% cotton fabrics: blue and light blue plaids and white tone-on-tone (snowflake appliqués, ornaments)
- Scraps of felted wool: blue and cream (snowflake appliqués, ornaments)
- Lightweight fusible web
- Tear-away stabilizer
- Metallic machine-embroidery thread: silver
- 15" silver cording
- Hand-beading needle
- Seed beads: clear and blue
- Bugle beads: silver and blue
- Metallic embroidery floss: silver
Finished ornaments: 3-1⁄2" diameter
Quantities are for 100% cottons and wools.
Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.
Cut Fabric
Cut pieces in the order that follows in each section.
Patterns are in downloadable PDF above. To make templates of patterns D and E, see Make and Use Templates in PDF.
To use fusible web for appliquéing, complete the following steps.
1. Lay fusible web, paper side up, over patterns A, B, and C. Use a pencil to trace each pattern the number of times indicated in cutting instructions, leaving 1⁄2" between tracings. Cut out each fusible-web shape roughly 1⁄4" outside traced lines.
2. Following the manufacturer's instructions, press fusible-web shapes onto wrong sides of designated fabrics; let cool. Cut out fabric shapes on drawn lines. Peel off paper backings.
From tear-away stabilizer, cut:
- 3--4-1⁄2" squares
From silver cording, cut:
- 3--5"-long pieces
Cut and Assemble Ornament A
From blue plaid, cut:
- 1 each of patterns A and D
From cream wool, cut:
- 1 of Pattern D
1. Referring to Diagram 1, center blue plaid A snowflake on cream wool D circle. Fuse in place.
2. Pin fused D circle on tear-away stabilizer. Using silver machine-embroidery thread and a small stitch length, machine-zigzag-stitch around all appliqué edges.
3. Referring to Beading Diagram A, embellish snowflake with seed beads and bugle beads.
4. Referring to Diagram 2, position a silver cording 5"-long piece in
a loop with the ends extending beyond edge of fused D circle; baste in place.
5. Gently tear stabilizer away from outside edge of snowflake (stabilizer will remain behind appliquéd and beaded areas).
6. Layer fused D circle and blue plaid D circle with right sides together; pin in place. Starting opposite the cording, stitch around circle edges, leaving a 1-1⁄4" opening for turning (Diagram 3).
7. Turn ornament right side out by pulling silver cording loop through opening. Smooth edges with a blunt tool and finger-press ornament flat.
8. Using two strands of silver embroidery floss, whipstitch around outer edges to close opening and complete ornament A.
Cut and Assemble Ornament B
From white tone-on-tone, cut:
- 1 of Pattern B
From light blue plaid, cut:
- 1 of Pattern D
From cream wool, cut:
- 1 of Pattern D
1. Center white tone-on-tone B snowflake on light blue plaid D circle. Fuse in place.
2. Referring to Cut and Assemble Ornament A, steps 2–8, complete ornament B. (Refer to Beading Diagram B for bead placement.)
Cut and Assemble Ornament C
The backing and foundation pieces for ornament C are made with felted wool. Because felted wool does not ravel and to avoid bulky seams in such a small item, the foundation and backing pieces for ornament C (Pattern E) do not include seam allowances.
From cream wool, cut:
- 1 each of patterns C and E
From blue wool, cut:
- 1 of Pattern E
1. Center cream wool C snowflake on blue wool E circle. Fuse in place.
2. Referring to Cut and Assemble Ornament A, steps 2 and 3, stitch around and embellish the C snowflake. (Refer to Beading Diagram C for bead placement.)
3. Referring to Diagram 4, position a silver cording 5"-long piece in a loop at top of cream wool E circle; tack in place.
4. Gently tear stabilizer away from outside edge of snowflake (stabilizer will remain behind appliquéd and beaded areas).
5. Place blue wool E circle atop cream wool E circle with wrong sides together. Pin pieces together.
6. Using two strands of silver embroidery floss, whipstitch around outer edges to complete ornament C.