How to Make Fabric Star Quilted Christmas Ornaments

A red, green, and white ornament hanging on a tree

Stacy Fisher

Project Overview
  • Working Time: 30 mins - 1 hr
  • Total Time: 1 hr
  • Yield: 1 Ornament
  • Skill Level: Beginner
  • Estimated Cost: $10

If you're looking for a quick, easy, and fun crafting project this holiday season, fabric star quilted Christmas ornaments are a great option. These festive ornaments capture the style of handmade patterns without requiring any prior quilting skills: Despite using the name "quilted," nothing is actually quilted for this ornament. In fact, it's a completely no-sew project.

Like other holiday crafts, these ornaments are a great way to adorn your own tree or make a DIY holiday gift for friends and family. This project takes about an hour to create your first ornament, but after the first, you'll be able to make more in half the time. You'll soon be addicted to choosing your favorite fabrics to make these quilted star ornaments.

Learn how to make a fabric star quilted Christmas ornament in this easy step-by-step guide.

Fabric, pins, scissors, ribbon, and more on a table
The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

  • 1 Pair of scissors (or rotary cutter and mat)
  • 1 Ruler
  • 1 Hot glue gun

Materials

  • 3 Fabric patterns (1/4 yard each)
  • 1 inch ribbon
  • 3 inch Styrofoam ball
  • 500 Dressmaker pins

Instructions

  1. Choose Your Fabrics

    Pieces of Christmas fabric
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher


    The types of crafting fabric you choose can really change the look of this ornament. Consider these simple guidelines to personalize your design with great choices:

    • Color: Since there are three layers to this ornament, it's best to choose three fabrics with colors that contrast against each other to achieve the desired look. I've picked green, red, and white.
    • Design: Small-scale prints or even solid colors work best for this ornament. Larger fabric images will get lost in the different layers, and they could potentially create an odd-looking design when you're finished. 
    • Number of Fabrics: We used a different fabric for each layer of the ornament, but you can also choose to use the same fabric for the first and third layers (or even use the same fabric in various colors for all layers). We don't suggest mixing more than three different fabrics or you won't see the star shape on the ornament. 

    You can choose holiday fabrics, like I've done here but you could also consider solid fabric in Christmas colors, or even non-traditional fabric colors and patterns. Don't be afraid to try something a little different for these, they'll look great no matter what you choose.

  2. Cut the Fabric

    Fabric cut into 2.5" squares
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher


    Using a pair of scissors or a rotary cutter and mat, cut your fabrics into 2-1/2 inch squares. Here's how many individual squares you'll need for each color:

    • Fabric A (center): 8
    • Fabric B (middle layer): 16
    • Fabric C (outside layer): 16 

    You'll be working from the center first, then the middle layer, and then your outside layer so you can plan where you want each fabric to go. Keep in mind that the order you choose for fabrics on the ornament will also change the look. Place them next to each other to see which patterns and colors work best for different layers. 

  3. Attach the First Square

    Pinning center of fabric to Styrofoam ball
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher


    Before you attach the first piece of fabric, you need to find the center of the square. To do this, simply fold and crease the fabric in half vertically, then repeat horizontally. The point where the creases cross is the exact center of the fabric.

    Put a pin through the wrong side (back side) of the fabric and pin it into the​ Styrofoam ball. The front side will be against the ball now. 

    Tip

    It may help to use something to hold your Styrofoam ball steady as you attach the fabric squares; consider a small dish that the ball can easily be picked up from and moved around.

  4. Fold and Pin Your First Square

    First triangle attached
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Now it's time to make your first fold. You'll repeat this same fold over and over again to cover the ornament. Here's how:

    1. Fold the square you have pinned to the ball upward horizontally, forming a rectangle. The fold will now be on the bottom. 
    2. Fold the top corners inward to the middle to form a triangle. 
    3. Take four pins and place two just on the other side of the bottom middle to hold the flaps down, then pin one on each of the two outside bottom triangle corners to secure it to the Styrofoam ball. 
  5. Fold and Pin Your Second Square

    Two triangles of fabric attached to a Styrofoam ball
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Repeat the previous two steps, aligning the bottom of the new fabric square to the top of the first triangle. This time, for Step 5, fold the fabric down toward the top of your first triangle. 

    Repeat the same pinning pattern (now upside down) to attach the second triangle. You'll now have two fabric triangles with the points facing each other.

  6. Finish the Center of Your Ornament

    Triangles of fabric attached to ball
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Finish the center layer of your holiday ornament by placing the third and fourth fabric squares opposite of each other, following the same method as you used for your first two triangles.

    Take the time to line up your triangles and get the top points as close together as possible. This will create a cleaner finish to your ornament and hide any uncovered areas of the Styrofoam ball.

  7. Begin the Second Fabric Layer

    Pinning the first fabric square of the second layer
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Take the second fabric (middle layer) and follow Step 3 to find the center. 

    Pin the center of the fabric 1/2-inch down from the top of any first-layer triangle, keeping the center fold lines even.

  8. Finish the Second Fabric Layer

    The second layer of fabric attached
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Attach three more middle fabric squares 1/2-inch down on the center lines of each original triangle.

    Next, place four new squares at a diagonal to the other middle-layer triangles. Pin new triangles on the lines that divide the first layer 1/2-inch down from the center.

  9. Add the Final Layer of Fabric Squares

    The third layer added
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Repeat Steps 7 and 8 to add the final layer of fabric squares.

  10. Repeat for the Other Side

    The side of a DIY ornament
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Repeat Steps 3-9 to complete the opposite side of the ornament, being careful to line everything up evenly. 

  11. Pin Ribbon Around Ornament

    Attaching a ribbon to an ornament
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Now that all fabric triangles are secured to the Styrofoam ball, it's time to cover up the sides where your last layers ended.

    Take 12 inches of ribbon and wrap it around the center. You can pin this or use a hot glue gun to attach it. Alternatively, you can also use a strip of any layer of fabric or even burlap to cover the middle.

  12. Finish the Ornament

    A finished quilted ornament
    The Spruce / Stacy Fisher

    Make a loop or bow from ribbon or string and attach it to the top of the ornament with pins or a hot glue gun (a mixture of both will be most secure). Your ornament is now ready to decorate your tree!