Felt Birds (DIY Christmas Ornaments)
These embroidered felt bird ornaments are actually sweet little felt doves, and they’re one of my favorite DIY felt ornaments. We include a free printable felt bird pattern and step-by-step tutorial so you can make your own handmade bird decorations for Christmas, gifts or winter crafting.
These felt doves make adorable DIY Christmas ornaments. The basic felt bird pattern is simple, while the embroidered wings and tail add enough detail to make each ornament feel special.
These are perfect for hanging on your own Christmas tree or to give as a sweet homemade gift.
It’s a fun Christmas craft for kids and adults. But they’d also be a great Christmas craft to make and sell.
Be sure to grab the free felt bird template near the bottom of the post so you can trace the bird, wing and olive branch pieces before you start sewing.
Materials for the Felt Bird Ornament
Felt fabric: We used white for the bird, and red to create a base for the ornament, and green for the olive branch.
Thread: We used white for stitching around the bird, and different colors for the embroidering on the wings and tail.
Some basic craft supplies like:
- Sharp scissors
- Needle
- Cotton or scrap felt for stuffing
- Pencil or fabric chalk
How to Make a Felt Bird Ornament
To start making your felt bird ornament, print the free felt bird pattern and cut out the template pieces.
Then grab the color of felt you want to make it. We used white, but gray, beige or any light color would look great. We also used green for the olive branch.
Step 1: Cut out the Pattern Pieces
Trace out all the pattern pieces and cut them out of the felt, like shown above.
The bird pattern has two bird bases, two wings and the branch.
Step 2: Draw the Wing Design and Eye
Next, draw a floral or vine pattern onto one of the wing pieces, and draw an eye onto your bird base.
Step 3: Embroider the First Wing
To embroider the wing, start by threading your needle with a contrasting thread color.
Then stitch on a simple decorative pattern.
Step 4: Stitch the Leaves
I thought it was easiest to stitch out the leaves first.
Step 5: Finish the Vine Embroidery
Then stitch along the vine, adding any extra details you like.
Step 6: Add the Eye and Tail Details
On the bird pattern piece where you drew the eye, stitch the eye with black thread.
Then add a little detail stitching on the tail to create a decorative pattern similar to the wing.
Step 7: Sew the Bird Body Together
Place the other bird base pattern under your decorated one and start stitching them together using a matching thread, the same color as your felt.
Step 8: Stuff the Felt Bird
Leave a small opening so you can stuff the bird with cotton or leftover felt scraps.
Step 9: Close the Opening
Then close up the opening after the bird is stuffed.
Step 10: Attach the Front Wing
Next, attach the embroidered wing to the front of the bird base.
Step 11: Attach the Back Wing
Then flip the bird over and stitch on the second wing to the back of the bird, making sure to move it forward a bit so it shows behind the front wing.
Step 12: Add the Olive Branch and Hanger
Finally, stitch the olive branch onto the end of the bird’s beak. From here, you can leave the felt bird as-is or attach a loop of ribbon to the back to turn it into a hanging Christmas ornament.
You can also cut a contrasting felt base and attach the bird to it like we did. I love the bright pop of color it adds.
Grab the Free Printable Felt Bird Pattern
Ready to make your own? Enter your information below and we’ll send the free printable felt bird pattern straight to your inbox.
These patterns are for personal or classroom use only, not for commercial use. But you are most certainly welcome to sell any felt ornaments you make! (Just not the pattern!) Thank you!
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Felt Bird Ornament
This adorable felt bird ornament is a gorgeous felt dove. Be sure to grab the printable bird pattern and make one of your own.
Materials
- Felt fabric
- Various colored thread
- Cotton or scrap felt (for stuffing)
Tools
- Needle
- Sharp scissors
- Pencil or fabric chalk
Instructions
Grab and print out the felt bird pattern. Then choose and grab your felt fabric colors. Cut out all of the bird pattern pieces onto the felt.
Draw a floral or vine decorative pattern on on of the bird wings, and draw an eye onto one of the bird bases.
Thread a needle with a contrasting color, and work a simple embroidered pattern along the traced vine/floral drawing on the wing.
Embroider the leaves first.
Then go back and stitch in more detail.
Stitch the eye with black thread and work a small embroidered pattern on the tail part of the bird base.
Place the decorated bird base pattern piece onto of the plain bird base and stitch along the sides.
Leave a small opening on one side and stuff the bird with cotton or felt scraps.
Close the open end to secure the stuffing.
Stitch the front (embroidered) wing to the front part of the felt bird pattern.
Stitch the back wing next, keep the back wing slightly above the front one.
Attach the olive branch pattern to the end of the birds beak.
Attach the bird to a base and then attach a ribbon loop on the backside of the base to complete the ornament. (optional)
Notes
You can leave the birds as is or do like we did and cut out a simple colorful circle from a contrasting felt color. Then attach the bird to that, forming a unique ornamnet.
