Season's Best Ornaments

Designer: Sharon Stewart of Liberty Rose Patterns

• 6--4" squares of red-and-black mini-check felted wool (ornaments)
• 3--3" squares of black felted wool (appliqué foundations)
• Scraps of gold, red, and green felted wool (appliqués)
• Embroidery floss: black, gold, red, green, light green, dark green, and ecru
• Perle cotton No. 5: gold
• Fabric glue (optional)

Finished ornament: 3-1⁄2" diameter

Cut pieces in the following order. Patterns are in downloadable PDF above.

To felt wool, machine-wash in hot-water-wash, cool-rinse cycle with a small amount of detergent; machine-dry on high heat and steam-press.

From red-and-black mini-check wool, cut:

• 6 of Pattern A

From black wool, cut:

• 3 of Pattern B

From gold wool, cut:

• 1 of Pattern G

From red wool, cut:

• 1 each of patterns C, K, L, M, and N
• 5 of Pattern I
• 5 of Pattern J

From green wool, cut:

• 1 each of patterns D, E, and F
• 8 of Pattern O
• 3 of Pattern H

1. Referring to Candle Ornament Placement Diagram, position the red C candle; green D, E, and F leaves; and gold G flame atop a black B circle. Then remove all pieces except red candle; glue or pin in place.

2. Using one strand of red embroidery floss and straight stitches, stitch around the red candle. Layer the remaining wool shapes atop the candle. Using one strand of coordinating embroidery floss and straight stitches, stitch around each wool shape; start with the bottom layer and work to the top.

3. Using one strand of red embroidery floss, backstitch the top detail on the red candle.

4. Using two strands of light green embroidery floss, backstitch branches on the black circle. Alternating light green and dark green floss, use short straight stitches to add pine needles along the branches.

5. Using one strand of gold embroidery floss, add 11 French knots in a ring around the flame to finish the candle appliqué.

1. Referring to Poinsettia Ornament Placement Diagram, position red I and J petals and green H leaves atop a black B circle. Then remove all the red petals; glue or pin the green leaves in place.

2. Using one strand of green embroidery floss and straight stitches, stitch around the leaves. Layer the red petals atop the black circle. Using one strand of red embroidery floss and straight stitches, stitch around each petal; start with the bottom layer and work to the top.

Note: When straight-stitching around some of the petals, start at the midpoint of a petal and work toward the flower center, leaving the outer half of the petal unstitched. This will give the poinsettia added dimension.

3. Using one strand of gold embroidery floss wrapped once around the needle, add seven French knots where the petals meet.

4. Using one strand of black embroidery floss, straight-stitch veins on the red petals to finish the poinsettia appliqué.

1. Referring to Mistletoe Ornament Placement Diagram, position the red K, L, M, and N bow pieces and the eight green O leaves atop a black B circle. Then remove the red bow pieces; glue or pin the green leaves in place.

2. Using one strand of green embroidery floss and straight stitches, stitch around each leaf, leaving the edge of the top right-hand leaf unstitched where it will overlap the red bow tail.

3. Using two strands of light green embroidery floss, stem-stitch mistletoe stems on the black circle.

4. Layer the red bow pieces atop the mistletoe stems. Using one strand of coordinating embroidery floss and straight stitches, stitch around the red bow pieces and the remaining unstitched edge of the leaf.

5. Using one strand of black embroidery floss, backstitch details on the red bow.

6. Using six strands of ecru embroidery floss wrapped once around the needle, add 22 French knots to form berries on the leaves and finish the mistletoe appliqué.

1. Center and straight-stitch each appliquéd black B circle to a red-and-black mini-check A circle.

2. With wrong sides together, layer each stitched red-and-black mini-check circle with an unstitched red-and-black mini-check circle.

3. Using gold perle cotton, start at the top of each pair of circles and blanket-stitch around the edges, leaving a 4" tail at the beginning. At the end, run your thread under the first stitches, tie a knot with the beginning thread, and leave a 4" tail. Cut the tails to the same length, and knot together to form a hanging loop and complete the ornament.