Table of Contents
Watch the video: DIY Embroidered Snowflake Ornaments on Felt by embroideryartbynat
Two hands, a hoop, and a little sparkle—this cozy tutorial walks you from blank felt to finished keepsake. If you’ve been craving a calm, giftable project for the holidays, you’re in the right place. The designs are beginner-friendly, the finish is luxe, and the beaded edge looks like frost catching winter light.
What you’ll learn
- How to transfer a snowflake pattern using a water-soluble stabilizer
- Three simple stitches to build crisp, delicate motifs
- The right moment to add beads and sequins (so your thread never snags)
- How to wash away stabilizer without warping the felt
- A pro finish: beaded blanket stitch edge, eco-friendly stuffing, and a metallic hanging loop
Craft Your Own Winter Wonderland: DIY Embroidered Snowflake Ornaments
The video shows three unique snowflake designs stitched on red felt, then assembled into ornaments that shimmer with sequins and beads. You’ll trace the pattern, stitch in a 4-inch hoop, wash away the stabilizer, and finish with a beaded blanket stitch that doubles as decoration and structure. The result is plush, sparkling, and ready for your tree—or to tuck into a gift.
From the creator: You can download the free pattern via a link in the video description. The designs shown are stitched with mostly white floss on red felt, but the creator mentions also making versions in blue and gold.
Gathering Your Festive Materials
Essential Supplies: Felt, Floss, and Stabilizer You’ll need red felt, water-soluble (water-erasable) stabilizer, white embroidery floss, beads, and sequins. The creator shows white beads and sequins, noting a pink option would also look cute. An embroidery needle in size 3 or 4 suits three strands of floss and has a large eye plus a sharp point for felt. Keep a pair of sharp embroidery scissors nearby.
Watch out
- Specific bead or sequin sizes aren’t specified, so choose sizes that match your needle and desired sparkle.
- Trace the outer cutting line when you transfer the pattern. You’ll need it later when shaping the ornament.
The Right Tools for the Job A standard embroidery hoop holds the felt and stabilizer steady; the creator uses a 4-inch hoop. A hoop stand is handy if you want both hands free, and this one rotates for easy access to the back when finishing threads. If you typically stitch with a machine setup, know that this project is fully hand-stitched in a small hoop; no machine-specific tools are required. magnetic embroidery hoop
Step 1: Bringing Your Pattern to Life
A Modern Trick: Using Your iPad as a Light Box Display the PDF pattern on a bright screen (like an iPad) and place your water-soluble stabilizer on top. The creator disables touch inputs via Guided Access so the image stays perfectly still while tracing. This clever workaround turns your device into a portable light box and makes lines easy to see.
Quick check
- Secure the stabilizer to the screen or printed sheet with low-tack tape to prevent shifting.
- Trace every line, including the outer cutting line.
Tracing Your Design onto Water-Soluble Stabilizer Work slowly with a pen or marker that writes cleanly on the stabilizer. The video also notes alternatives: printable stabilizers such as DMC Magic Paper or Sulky Stick ’n’ Stitch/Sulky Paper Solvy. Those let you print the design directly on the stabilizer using a printer—no manual tracing required. If you prefer a printed approach, that can streamline your prep.
From the comments: iPad touch lock One viewer asked how to disable touch on iPad. The creator explains using Guided Access: enable it in Settings > Accessibility > Guided Access; open the app you’ll use; triple-press the power or home button to start; tap Options to disable Touch; set a passcode; triple-press and enter the passcode to exit. Clear, simple, and it works. embroidery machine for beginners
Prepping Your Hoop for Perfect Stitches Layer the felt and traced stabilizer, then tension them in a 4-inch hoop so the surface is taut but not overstretched. Place the hoop into a stand if you have one; the rotating stand shown makes flipping to the back seamless for thread securing. The creator is excited to try a new stand that allows turning the hoop mid-stitch.
Step 2: The Magic of Stitching
Mastering the Stitches: Satin Stitch, Back Stitch, and Lazy Daisy Thread three strands of white embroidery floss. The creator uses only a few beginner-friendly stitches—satin stitch, back stitch, and lazy daisy—to draw those crystalline arms and tips. Keep your tension even so lines stay crisp. Use satin stitch for filled centers or shafts, back stitch for outlines and spokes, and lazy daisy for little petaled points.
Pro tip Work areas symmetrically when possible—completing mirror-image points in pairs helps maintain uniform density and balance.
Embellishing with Beads and Sequins for That Extra Shine Once the thread work is complete, add sequins and beads to catch the light. The creator stitches a sequin into the center for sparkle and accents select points with beads. Secure each embellishment snugly so it doesn’t shift. The result is minimal yet radiant ornamentation that feels wintry and bright.
Pro tip: Stitch first, bead later! The creator recommends doing all embroidery before embellishing. If you add beads too early, your working thread can snag around them, slowing you down and roughing up your floss.
Quick check
- Stitches should cover lines evenly.
- Beads and sequins should sit flat without wobble.
From the comments: separating floss strands A viewer asked about separating to one strand; the creator points to a detailed article on their Patreon that covers the technique step by step. While this project uses three strands for the snowflake lines and one strand later for blanket stitching the edge, strand separation is a useful skill for all future projects.
What if you’re coming from machine embroidery? If you usually rely on hooping systems and specialty frames, you’ll feel liberated by how simple this setup is—just a small hand hoop, needle, and floss. You won’t need multi-part rigs or repositioning aids here, but it’s fine if you’ve seen them around in your sewing room. magnetic embroidery frames
Milestone: fully stitched snowflake Before you cut, pause for a moment to admire the design. The creator shows a crisp, fully embroidered snowflake in the hoop—threads tidy, sparkles secure, and edges ready to trace with scissors.
Step 3: Finishing and Assembly
The Big Reveal: Washing Away the Stabilizer Remove the piece from the hoop, then carefully cut out the snowflake along the outer line you transferred earlier. Rinse under warm water, gently massaging to dissolve the stabilizer completely. The creator notes that the felt behaved well during washing—holding its shape without tearing or getting fluffy. Allow to air-dry fully before assembly.
Quick check
- Keep scissors perpendicular to the felt to preserve sharp points.
- Continue rinsing until the stabilizer residue is gone; the felt should feel soft again.
Watch out Cutting too close to your stitches can cause edges to fray or stitches to loosen. Leave a slim margin where the blanket stitch will bite the layers together. The creator shows the washed snowflake looking clean, with crisp contrast between red felt and white stitches.
Creating a Professional Edge with a Beaded Blanket Stitch Align your embroidered snowflake with a plain felt backing. Using one strand of red floss, blanket stitch around the edge, adding a single small bead at each bite for a frosted finish. The beaded blanket stitch not only seals the layers, it gives the ornament a jeweled outline that reads festive from across the room.
Pro tip Mind the spacing. Even intervals make the beaded edge look intentional and consistent. If a point feels tight, shorten the stitch slightly so the bead sits neatly at the tip.
A Sustainable Secret: Stuffing with Leftover Threads Before you close the final inch, add stuffing. The creator keeps a jar of leftover thread ends (often called “orts”) and uses them to softly fill the ornament. It’s a satisfying way to reduce waste and give snippets a second life. Add small amounts and distribute evenly so the shape remains crisp rather than bulbous.
Watch out Overstuffing can distort the snowflake’s silhouette. The goal is a gentle puff—firm enough to feel dimensional, light enough to preserve those pointed tips.
Safety note from the creator Avoid leaving thread scraps outdoors for birds. They can become tangled or ingest fibers, which is dangerous. Keep scraps indoors and repurpose them as stuffing, or dispose of them responsibly. snap hoop monster
The Final Touch: Displaying Your Masterpiece
Adding a Hanging Loop To finish, thread a length of silver metallic thread (the creator uses DMC Diamant Grandé) through the top point and tie a secure loop. The shine complements the beads and makes the ornament easy to hang. Trim ends neatly.
Your Finished Ornaments Ready for the Tree That’s it—the snowflake duo or trio is ready to sparkle under the lights. The creator shows how pretty the finished ornaments look, noting they’ll be a joy to see all season long. Make a set to gift or keep, and consider stitching different colorways for variety—classic red and white, or chilly blues and warm golds. magnetic hoops for embroidery
Pro tip Batch your process: transfer multiple designs at once, stitch them in a single sitting, then wash and assemble as a group. You’ll move efficiently from step to step and finish a full set faster.
Troubleshooting and FAQs
- My stabilizer didn’t fully rinse away. Keep massaging under warm water, especially around dense stitch areas and near beads where residue can cling. Air-dry flat.
- My edges look uneven. Use smaller, consistent blanket stitches at the points and slightly longer stitches on the straights.
- Beads keep shifting. Tighten your tension slightly as you seat each bead, and snug the previous stitch before the next bite.
From the comments
- Pen choice on Sulky Paper Solvy: A viewer asked if they need a special erasable pen. The creator notes that normal pens usually wash away with Sulky Paper Solvy and that you can also print directly onto the stabilizer.
- iPad touch lock for tracing: Another viewer asked how to disable touch while tracing. The creator details Guided Access (Accessibility > Guided Access, then triple-press to toggle) and how to disable Touch within its options.
- Are you safe? A concerned commenter asked about the creator’s well-being. The creator shared they had moved to Canada and keep in close contact with family in Ukraine.
- Separating floss strands: The creator pointed to a Patreon article that breaks down strand separation techniques, with a potential video in the future. embroidery machine hoops
Make It Yours
- Stitch count: The creator uses three strands for embroidery and one strand for the blanket-stitch assembly.
- Alternatives for transfer: Printable stabilizers (DMC Magic Paper, Sulky Stick ’n’ Stitch, Sulky Paper Solvy) can be a time-saver.
- Stuffing: Thread ends make a soft fill and keep scraps out of the bin.
Good to know
- Felt performance: The creator reports felt behaved well in warm-water rinsing—no distortion or fluffing in this project.
- Hoop size: A 4-inch hoop is shown for comfortable handling and control.
- Needle: Size 3 or 4 embroidery needle works well with three strands of floss.
If you usually sew with machines You might be used to specialized frames or magnetic systems for machine embroidery. This project remains delightfully minimal: felt, floss, a small hand hoop, and a steady rhythm. It’s a great palate cleanser that pairs beautifully with your more technical projects. magnetic
Beyond the basics If you love this process, the creator offers more than 30 designs, exclusive videos, and educational articles on Patreon (Stitching Club tier). There’s also a free snowflake pattern available via the video description—perfect for getting started.
Care and storage
- Store flat, or hang on a ribbon to avoid creasing.
- If an edge bead loosens, reinforce with a couple of snug passes through the bead and blanket stitch anchor.
- Spot clean the felt gently; avoid saturating the ornament once assembled.
Gift-worthy by design Embroidered ornaments feel timeless and personal. Stitch a set, tie them to wrapped packages, or bundle three as a hostess gift. The beaded blanket stitch gives a boutique finish—with simple stitches you already know.
Time estimates at a glance
- Prep and transfer: about a few minutes to trace, more if you’re batching
- Stitching: variable by design density; the creator uses satin, back stitch, and lazy daisy for efficiency
- Wash and dry: warm water rinse plus air-dry time
- Assembly: blanket stitch with beading and light stuffing, then add a loop
Ready to stitch? Pour a cup of tea, queue the tutorial, and enjoy bringing a flurry of snowflakes to life—quiet, mindful making that sparkles when the lights go up. magnetic embroidery hoop