DIY Santa Cookie Ornament Gift Toppers

1. Place the face shape behind the opening of the beard. Use a contrasting colour of floss to bast stitch the felt pieces together. Sew small straight stitches in white around the face as shown. Remove the basting stitches. Note: We will use one strand of embroidery floss at all times unless otherwise noted.

2. Using the photo as a guide, place and sew the nose and two cheeks to the face as shown.

3. Add the moustache and bast the hat in place. Add a row of red straight stitches to the bottom of the hat as shown. Do not remove the basting stitches until after step 6 is complete.

4. Add some fur to Santa’s hat using the felting wool and a felting needle. It’s best to start with a less wool than you feel like you might need and add extra woold as you go if necessary. You’ll use a foam pad and if you are new to needle felting, you might want to wear a finger guard.
5. Needle felting is basically making a short stabbing motion into the wool. Push the felting needle straight in and out of the wool, trying not to go on an angle or bend the needle to prevent it from breaking. Your needle should hardly pierce the foam block.
6. Tuck all of the edges of wool into place until you have achieved the shape as shown. You can add more wool if you feel that the fur on the hat needs to have a little more depth. Remove the basting stitches on the hat.

7. Place Santa on top of one of the cookie shapes and bast stitch them together to hold in place.
8. Using red embroidery floss on the hat and white floss on the beard, sew small straight stitches to finish.
9. Before adding the black doll safety eyes, take your time to mark where they should be placed. Have fun with the eye placement. Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong way to place the eyes – close together or further apart – the eyes are going to give each Santa their own little personality.

10. Using your marks as a guide, use the awl to create two small holes in the face.
11. Place your first doll safety eye in the hole and
12. Use the clear backing to lock the eye permanently in place. I find the extra length of post on the back of the eye a little too long. After the eye is locked in place, use a small pair of wire cutters to remove the excess post.

13. Add the second eye and prepare to sew and stuff the cookie. I cut a piece of cardboard slightly smaller than the cookie shape to stabilize the shape of the cookie before stuffing. Sandwich the cardboard between the front and back of the cookie and use sewing clips to hold everything together.
14. Use two strands of embroidery floss in a color to match the cookie and sew the front and back together using the blanket stitch. Sew around the cookie shape and leave an opening large enough to insert the stuffing.
15. Add the stuffing in front of the cardboard so that the back will remain flat. A wood stir stick will come in handy to move the stuffing around and ensure that it is evenly placed inside. Sew the opening to close.

Note: Do not over stuff the ornaments if you want them to look like cookies.

16. Sew a small jewelry jump ring to the top of the ornament using the same embroidery floss that was used to blanket stitch the cookie. Add a strand of baker’s twine to the ring.
17. Sew a white mini pompom to the top of the hat as shown. The pompom will hide the ump ring.
18. And that it! And now we’re ready to start our holiday gift wrapping.

Go beyond my original cookie cutter design instructions and make these adorable ornaments your own. Keep reading for more ideas. 

Personalize the back of the ornaments using embroidery floss and felt scraps. Note: Do this additional detail before you sew the cookie shapes together.

Here’s some alternative suggestion for the eyes and additional embroidery details to try:

1. For a different look, use a straight stitch instead of the blanket stitch to sew the front and back of the cookie together.

2. As an alternative to using the small doll safety eyes, stitch two French knots using 6 strands of embroidery floss. If you have difficulty creating two same sized French knots, small black seed beads are another option to try. Sew the beads in place using a beading needle and one strand of embroidery floss.

3. Add a touch of whimsy to the design by blanket stitching baker’s twine around the edge of the cookie shape. Leave extra twine on both ends of the twine at the top to create a loop for hanging. Note: Using this method, you eliminate the need to use a jewelry ring for hanging.

Let’s play!

Instead of making an ornament, add a stick, jingle bells, scraps of ribbons yarn and  to create a festive wand. Tip: Hot glue the wood dowel to the cardboard as shown.

Gift wrapping inspiration.

What’s great about these felt cookie ornaments is how environmentally sustainable they are. Unlike single-use plastic or metallic decorations, these handmade ornaments can be reused year after year, adding a sentimental touch to each holiday season. Plus, they make for the perfect small gift on their own.

So, next time you’re wrapping up your holiday presents, try crafting these delightful felt ornaments. Whether as toppers or as standalone gifts, they’re a fun, eco-friendly, and heartwarming way to spread cheer this Christmas! Please share your versions of this fun gift topper on social media by tagging @The_Felt_Store and @MakeandMerryCo on Instagram.

Happy Crafting!