I found this picture in the December 2010 Better Homes and Gardens, and was intrigued by the construction, but no pattern was found in the magazine. I did a little research. I discovered this seems to come to us from Amish craft women, and was a pincushion which was pretty and so typical of Amish home arts.

No sewing machine is needed for this project!

I drafted up a rough pattern and went to work

2 sheets of craft felt (as sold in craft/fabric stores)
Poly stuffing
Sewing thread of desired color (s)
Beads or buttons (optional as desired for embellishment)

Cut felt pieces:
You need a total of 36 pieces

You will notice I selected my colors to resemble a poinsettia.
(I need “soft” low hanging ornaments since I have grand babies)

Use a blanket stitch to sew three sections together, leaving about a one inch opening on last side.
Use this opening to stuff with fiberfill and continue to sew this last inch closed. You will end up with 12 segments.

Begin to sew tips together to form the following arrangement

Join the last 4 tips together to form ball

At this point one can embellish the ball as desired. See the magazine picture above for some inspiration.

I choose to use gold embroidery thread to make “safer for kids” ornaments.

I sewed, with double gold thread crisscross, where all tips were joined together to give the poinsettia “look”. Use a thread or ribbon to attach a hanging loop.

Happy Christmas Stitching!