Welcome to this week “Fabric Scarp Angel” a lovely Christmas Ornament… now I love love love this little angel ornament for several reasons: Firstly.. it is recycled. You know me and recycling, there are so many “bits and pieces around the home” that really can be put to good use and it is great when you make something cute and pretty out what is deemed rubbish. Secondly.. this post was sent in by a reader! Yes, that is right, a friend’s friend is a crafty old so and so and asked if she could do a guest post… Thirdly… the this friend, Zoe, is only 13years old! Isn’t that something? When I was that age, crafting was a big part of my life. I loved making all sorts of things, and I loved it even more when others recognised and got see it. I think it is fabulous that a 13 year old, who has never written a blog post or a craft instructions before is able to come up with something this cute and share it with you. I hope you like too. Read on and be inspired.
You may also like our new Christmas Ornament Book. 30 of our favourite ornaments brought together in one place. Sorted by age. Each craft is shared on one page – making the perfect worksheet print outs. Lovely to have them all in one place too!
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Get yours today and keep it forever!
Materials: A small square (15 to 20cm square) of material preferably with a Christmas theme, small amounts of either white or flesh coloured material, plus a 15 to 20 cm square of white material, 5cm of red and gold ribbon, needle, cotton, pinking shears, brown or yellow wool, an average sized bowl or round template
Step 1: Cut Dress: Use template aprox 15cm diameter to make a circle on the back of the “Christmas” fabric for the dress of your angel. Cut this out with pinking shears, this will prevent the fabric from fraying, and will create a decorative edge.
Step 2: Arms & Hands: Cut 3cm by 7 cm rectangle from your white or skin coloured fabric again, use the pinking shears, roll up the fabric on the longest side, to create a roll of fabric about 1cm wide. Sew the long edge to stop it unrolling. Use running stitch or backstitch. Fold over the ends of the roll, sew up to make “hands”.
Step 3: Head: Cut a 5cm by 5cm square from the white / skin fabric, put some stuffing / scraps into the middle, sew around a circle, pull tight to make the head ball.
Step 4: Combine Arms & Head: Sew the head and arms together to look like the above.
Step 5:Add Skirt: Cut a hole in the middle of the Christmas fabric circle just big enough to pull the head through, and two smaller holes either side to pull the arms through. It should now look like the above.
Step 6: Put more scraps into the “chest” of the angel, hold in place by a waist ribbon or a small piece of the dress material. Some stitches may be necessary to stop the “chest” falling out. Putting in the waist ribbon will make the skirt of the dress, putting the gathers to the back will make a “straight” skirt, a fuller skirt can be made by putting the gathers at the front, play with it until you are happy with the shape.
Step 7: Wings: Using Pinking shears cut out a yellow or white circle using the same size template as used for the dress material. Cut in half, and put around the angels arms/shoulders, sew in place from the back. The other half of the material can be cut in half again, folded in half and used to make fuller wings.
Step 8: Hair: using the brown or yellow wool, cut into short lengths and sew onto the angels head. If you sew in a spiral pattern going down the sides it will look like plaits. Make the loose ends of the wool into a bun, and stitch into the back of the neck, or leave loose, but make sure it is firmly in place.
Step 9: Halo: use a short length of gold ribbon to make a halo, a couple of stitches at the back of the head will hold it in place, let the front of the halo sit in place.
Step 10: Face: This can be left blank, embroidered on, or drawn on with fine felt pens
Step 11: Hanging: Make a loop of thick cotton, or ribbon. Stitch firmly into the back of the head and hang it up on your tree!
Extra’s – lace at the angels wings, or around her neck, glitter on the wings.
Larger versions (without wings) can be made as “rag dolls”.
Now.. what do you think? Isn’t Zoe simply the craftiest teenager around? Thank you so much for sharing your little angel and rag doll idea on Red Ted Art!
Sarah says
What a gorgeous project – thanks for the super tutorial Zoe! I think I might make one or two of these together with my little girl to hang on the tree 🙂
Red Ted Art says
Gorgeous, isn’t it? So sweet! And love how it is all recycled!
HonestMum says
So pretty and this takes me right back to sewing class at prep school. Thanks!
Nina Arbuckle says
Thank you, love the little Christmas angel. We do a crafts based advent calendar at home. So every day there are the ‘ingredients’ for a craft activity in one of the pockets. I’ve just put together an angel one from bits and pieces at home.
Red Ted Art says
Wow! A craft a day!!! I am IMPRESSED! Goes beyond my crafting patiences ;-))))) btw have you seen this https://www.redtedart.com/2011/11/30/daily-advent-calendar-activities/ daily activity to help you along the way!
Kate @ Puddles and Gumboots says
Oh this is just so very gorgeous! Zoe you are way craftier than me, I absolutely couldn’t make something like that and have it turn out so lovely
maryanne @ mama smiles says
This is very nice! Thanks for your detailed tutorial!
Rashmie @ MommyLabs says
Zoe, this is really unique and beautiful. Am so happy to see your love for art/craft/creativity. Keep it up. I’m sure you’re going to grow up as a very creative person. May be start your own art/craft blog? 🙂
Love and hugs!
Maggy, how sweet of you to feature this!
Red Ted Art says
Kate – she really is very creative, isn’t she!
Maryanne – thank you 😉
Rashmie – *beam* a crafty star is born!
Cerys @Rainy Day Mum says
Absolutely gorgeous – I think I will be making some of these and even have some fabric pens so can use my white cotton and J can decorate with the fabric pens. Thanks you Zoe and brilliant instructions on how to go about it.
Terri says
Zoe, it’s beautiful! I love to have angels all over my tree, so I may have to make one of these myself!
Red Ted Art says
Cerys – Ooh great idea to use fabric pens!
Terri – Yes, wouldn’t a tree covered in them be lovely!?!
Anna @ The Imagination Tree says
Wow this is so lovely Zoe! I’m very impressed that you did this and wrote the tutorial yourself! Time for your own crafty blog perhaps?!
amber says
What a beautiful idea and great tutorial! Our girl scouts are working on a homemade Christmas for the local Christmas parade these would be perfect thanks for sharing.
Red Ted Art says
Anna – yes, I agree, I think she did really well writing the step by step guides with all the photos!
Amber – oooh perfect for a Guide Christmas parade!
Art For Little Hands (@art4littlehands) says
Zoe, you need a blog. Great instructions and cute idea. I loved the photos too. They really helped me since I am sewing illiterate. I think my daughters would love making these. Thanks for the tutorial. I love it!!
Aleacia says
What a lovely angel! Such a simple to follow tutorial too! I think we’ll have to make an angel for our tree today, it’s exactly what our’s is missing! Thanks Zoe!
Jen says
What a lovely little angel, a beautiful addition to the tree! Well done! Thanks for sharing.
Roopa says
That is gorgeous!! Love the step by step photos and the instructions, Simply Well done:))
Brooke@let kids create says
What a beautiful little angel. I’m sure my girls would like to make one as well. It’s on my to-do list now. Thanks for the great tutorial.
Lindsi B says
So adorable! I just love that angel! Such a cute Christmas craft! Thanks for linking up last week for Fun Stuff Fridays. I’d love you to link up with us again.
http://www.toysinthedryer.com/2011/12/fun-stuff-fridays-2.html
Chrissy @ The Outlaw Mom Blog says
What a beautiful angel – wish I was more comfortable with a needle and thread! Looks like I might be able to do this, though. It would be great even for the rest of the year, too – thanks for sharing 🙂
Melissa @imaginationsoup says
Great step by step tutorial, thanks! I can’t wait to try this at home with my kids!
Ali says
What a gorgeous angel. I am looking forward to trying to make one.
Red Ted Art says
Thank you all for your lovely lovely comments! I can’t keep up replying to you all 🙂
I love how this angel uses up fabric scraps too! And that you can make it into a rag dolly for your child!
Rebecca says
That’s so beautiful. I love that it uses scraps if fabric. I can’t afford new decorations this year so tjis is a good one to make with my angel obsessed daughter.
Red Ted Art says
I love homemade decorations. I am sure whatever you make will be far prettier than shop bought items!!
Angelique Felix says
Hi Zoe,
I don’t know if you get a chance to read this by yourself. Thank you so much for sharing your talent (cause that is what you have!!!) with us.
Keep it up, follow your creativity,
Love
Angelique
ps: Maggy : great choice for a guest post!
Joyce @Dinosaurs And Octopuses says
Great job, Zoe!! This is very cute and your tutorial is wonderful. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
Bernadette - Mom to 2 Posh Lil Divas says
I have been outdone by a 13 yr old! Bravo on the sewing of a fabulous angel and excellent directions! I might have to give this a try!
Bern
crittersandcrayons says
Oh my goodness! What talent! The angel is beautiful and I love that young people are involved in creating and sharing their passions and ideas! Loved this post!
Toddler Approved says
What a clever idea!! I love this post and think the colors are beautiful. Would be great on my Christmas tree!
Rachel says
What a fun folk craft! I love the finished product
Jason @ gold work embroidery says
Printed out and ready on the table for my (nearly 3 yr old)grandson to start work tomorrow morning with Mrs Jason (Nanna J).
Sunday is “Get the Tree day” so perfect timing.
Thank you so much!
The Mommies Made Me Do It says
Wow, that’s a skillful and crafty 13yr old… love it!!
JamieM says
This is such a fun project! Thanks for sharing!!
MissMOE says
Wow! this is neat. I can’t wait to show my daughters and see if they would like to make this.
Chris at Thinly Spread says
Fabulous! Thank you so much for sharing, I am delighted it is linked up on Festive Friday on my blog this week! My 11 year old daughter and I are really looking forward to having a go at this..your instructions are really clear!
Catherine says
Such a beautiful craft, thanks for sharing Zoe! Can’t wait to have a go at making these for our tree.
cathy @ nurturestore says
She’s really lovely! Thanks for sharing with us at the Play Academy.
Colleen @Fth @pinterestmama says
Cute scrap angel! Nice post! Thanks for sharing! Saw your linky at the Sunday Showcase, so wanted to pop by to say hello.
Hope that you will come by my blog, Sunrise Learning Lab, and see what we are up to this week.
Colleen
Red Ted Art says
Aah thank you and yes will come and stop by for a visit!