Happy Thanksgiving to all those celebrating! My favorite thing to do on Thanksgiving Day/Day after Thanksgiving is to make things! I love getting cozy at home with my yarn, fabric, fiber and lots of pumpkin pie and make all sorts of Holiday crafts.
I wanted to share this free fabric styrofoam ball pattern with you - this is something I love making, just can't make enough of them and it's easy enough to make with family (even my hubby gets in the mix and makes a few!) You can use different colors of fabric for a harvest or holiday theme. They can be used in the tree as ornaments by stringing ribbon in the bottom, hang them in windows, set along the mantle or placed in a bowl as table decoration. Lots of lovely ways to use them!
Details behind the cut....
Supplies are easy, most of them you'll probably already have around the house. You'll need -
- Fabric - your choice of colors and prints. The amount you need depends on the size of the styrofoam balls you use and how thick you place the fabric. My mileage is between 1/4-1/2 yard per ball. I recommend starting with a 1/2 yard and see how much you have left and go from there.
- Rotary cutter mat, cutter and ruler
- Silver flathead pins
- Thimble
- Styrofoam/Polystyrene Balls your choice of sizes (I used 2 and 3.25 inches)
Start by cutting your fabric in 2 inch strips as shown above.
After you've cut the strips, cut each strip into 2 inch widths so you end up with 2x2inch squares
You'll have a nice pretty stack of squares!
Now, pull up a chair, put on a movie and let's get pinning! Start by pinning a square of fabric to the top of the styrofoam ball on each of the four corners.
Now, you're going to learn how to fold the fabric squares. Start by folding the fabric in half.
Next, fold the fabric in half again and hold it as shown above. The open edge should be on the right and the bottom. The top left corner should have the point. (click to zoom in if you need to see it closer)
Now, pin. Place the fabric on the ball covering part of the fabric square you already have. Pin just the left hand corner with the finished point pointing up
Now, pin the second one. You'll place a pin on the left hand side of the second square effectively pinning both sides of the first square, and the left side of the second.
You continue doing this around and around and finish the first round.
Start a second round slightly offset from the first and continue on your way, round after round.
Continue along to the bottom. As the ball gets smaller, make the fabric squares closer and closer together. When you get to the bottom, finish it as shown above. A few squares stacked on top of eachother to create a finishing touch.
Voila! You've made a fabric ball! Gorgeous!
Here's a sampling of the latest balls I've completed. Note how the changes in fabric completely change the look and feel. Large scale prints, sparkly, leaves, trees and more. Each one is unique and gorgeous!
Careful! It's hard to make just one!
Happy Crafting All!
Terrific way to use scraps.
Posted by: Christina Smithberg | January 20, 2011 at 02:17 PM
LOVE IT!
Posted by: Diane | April 02, 2011 at 03:00 PM
Hi!
Thank you so much,i just love them.
This is going to our christmas tree
Have a nice week
Posted by: Miriam | October 18, 2011 at 03:23 AM
My grandma used to make these. Thank you for the instructions to make my own!
Posted by: Jessie Hansen | October 28, 2011 at 11:23 AM
very cool!!!!! Thanks!
Posted by: Chrys Rose | October 28, 2011 at 01:12 PM
Gorgeous, gorgeous. So glad you were featured on Sew Mama Sew!
Posted by: FullertonRegan | October 28, 2011 at 10:51 PM
`these are so cute and easy to make thanks for the tute
Posted by: rosa_malone1@hotmail.com | October 30, 2011 at 10:06 AM
Wonderful texture and shape -I really like these!! Thanks for the tute!
Posted by: Shelly | October 31, 2011 at 02:27 PM
I make a variation of these every few years with spools of cloth ribbon and the styro eggs. My kids loved helping and everyone I ever gave one too to hang on their Christmas tree has never stopped being awed by them. I guess I may have to try it with my stash!
Posted by: Wendy P | October 31, 2011 at 04:15 PM
How cute are these! Thank - you
Posted by: Lor | November 03, 2011 at 09:37 AM
This is a great idea. I have made similar, but with triangle type folds. I will try this one as well.
Posted by: Kim | November 04, 2011 at 05:25 PM
Great tutorial! I will definitely try and use some of the fabric leftovers I have.
I once made a temari ball with the styrofoam base as well (http://www.causehumbug.com/2011/temari-ball), but read somewhere that the traditional way to do the base (mari) was doing it with thread. So I suppose that might be a more environmental version, unfortunately I didn't bookmark the page where I saw this and can't seem to find it now in Google.
I have a question - did you ever have to iron the fabric when you are folding it? I'm asking because the fabric in your pictures looks quite neat.
Posted by: Francesca | November 13, 2011 at 02:19 PM
I had to try to find it, but didn't manage to find the one I remember. However, I found another mari base making tutorial, I am not sure if this would be a more ecological solution to the styrofoam ball and if it would maybe not be to heavy, but at least it uses some scrap material we all have.
http://blog.fiberholic.net/2010/09/make-mari-tutorial.html
Posted by: Francesca | November 15, 2011 at 04:38 AM
Thanks for the tutorial. I made one the other day with my kids and it was so easy - although mine are not perfect like yours. I blogged about it and linked your tutorial.
http://sistersplayinghouse.blogspot.com/2011/11/simple-no-sew-christmas-decoration.html
Posted by: Leah | November 15, 2011 at 10:42 AM
OMG! This is such fun!.. I am absolutely trying this out. It looks so nice :)
Thank you for sharing..
Posted by: Sam van Voorst | November 15, 2011 at 02:00 PM
fabulosa esas bolas de navidad, ME ENCANTARÓN.
Desde SALTA, ARGENTINA un abrazo GRACIELA
Posted by: creando con graciela | November 17, 2011 at 08:40 PM
I'd love to feature your great idea on my blog
Please let me know if this would be ok with you
Lauren
Posted by: West furniture revival | November 19, 2011 at 12:45 AM
nice tutorial . I like it
Posted by: mikel | November 20, 2011 at 04:00 PM
Hi Lauren - Thanks for asking! I would love to be featured, please feel free to use any of the images/text with a link back crediting me.
Thanks!
:) Keri
Posted by: kmckiernan | November 21, 2011 at 01:21 PM
Absolutely darling! We'd love you to submit this to the Make and Takes spotlight page (http://www.makeandtakes.com/spotlight)
Posted by: Lindsey | November 22, 2011 at 12:11 PM
These look like waratah flowers! They would look gorgeous in a bowl setting, with the last couple of rounds done in green as "leaves".
Gorgeous, I love them. Thanks!
Posted by: Kylie | November 26, 2011 at 10:52 PM
I really want to do these as tree ornaments but I'm not exactly sure how to go about "stringing a ribbon through the bottom". Do you have more detailed instructions on this because I'm afraid I'm not the most crafty person out there :( Either way, this idea is amazing!!
Posted by: Amanda | December 09, 2011 at 12:42 AM
Amanda, I make these into ornaments 2 different ways: I either use a really long needle (look for doll making needles) to string ribbon or thread through the ball or I make a loop of ribbon and pin it to the top of the ornament. If I do it this way, I dip the pin in glue before I push it in.
Posted by: Zoe F. | December 19, 2011 at 07:34 AM
Awesome project! We'll be featuring this as part of our 12 days of unique Christmas decor tomorrow. Feel free to stop by to see it an grab a button. Awesome tutorial! www.TheRoosterAndTheHen.com
Posted by: Hen @ TheRoosterAndTheHen | December 21, 2011 at 04:11 PM
VERY cute ornament. I just discovered it on pinterest. Thank you! :-)
Posted by: shady gardener | December 27, 2011 at 12:27 AM