If you’ve never made these type of ornaments before there are some basic techniques that you should know before you begin. The videos below will demonstrate those techniques.
Tutorial- Sakura Inspired Ornament
This video explains my techniques for making sequined ornaments.
Thanks to craftster.org for this next video on making fabric ornaments (aka Kimekomi).
Drawing lines on your foam ball is easy.
All it takes is a little math, measuring tape and a pen.
Most foam balls are measured by their diameter. The foam balls I use are 6cm, 7cm and 8cm in diameter. Finding the circumference is easy with a little math. Circumference = pie(3.14) x diameter. If you don’t know the diameter just measure the circumference yourself. Once you find the circumference divide it by the number of lines you need to draw. That is the distance between lines at the equator of your foam ball. Once you mark the points on the equator of your ball just connect the dots. I’ve made to following video of a simple 6 division to help you understand how it’s done. This technique should work for any size ball with any number of lines that need to be drawn. I’ve tested it with 6cm and 7cm balls in 6, 8* and 12* divisions.
*When doing an 8 division ornament I find it easier to first divide into 4 and then into 8. The same goes for a 12 division. First divide it into 6 and then 12.
Visit the Combination Division Page to learn about combination divisions.
Making a Bow
Here is a real time video of me making a two color 12 loop bow with a hanging cord.
Making the bow and hanging ribbon can be tricky and if you do the steps in the wrong order you will have to undo it and start over. On your long pearl ended straight pin put the bead and/or other embellishment first, then the hanging ribbon or cord, then the bow. Use good quality ribbon for the best looking bows. In the video you can see when I make my loops I do it in a figure eight, always pinning the ribbon from the same side I started with so the loop flips up. Start with smaller loops in the center and gradually get larger with each layer. In this video I do 4 loops of red, 4 loops of white and then 4 more of red.
Other Techniques and Tips:
Ribbon
-When applying ribbon to the foam ball, it is important that you pin in it down in many places so that it doesn’t move around while you are in the process of making your ornament. You can always remove some of the excess pins in the end as long as you don’t glue them down.
-If you are using nylon ribbon you can melt the ends of the ribbon using a lighter so that it doesn’t unravel in the future.
Sequins
-It’s important to use a bead when you are pinning sequins to your ornament because it prevents the sequin from falling off and also it gives texture to your ornament. If the head of the pins you are using are larger than the hole in the sequins then you will be okay not using a bead.
-It is also important to use glue on the end of the pins before pushing them into the foam. The glue helps prevent the pins from coming loose and falling out.
Glitter Glue
-Glitter glue takes a long time to dry. Do not use a hair dryer to dry the glue. Just be patient and let the glue dry naturally. If you use a hair dryer the glitter will loose it’s sparkle.
Cutting Foam for Kimekomi Ornaments
When cutting into the foam, that you use the sharpest knife you have. The sharper the knife the easier it is to cut. Otherwise, you might accidentally remove small chunks as you cut. But as always, use caution when using sharp tools. You don’t want to bleed all over your ornament.
If your foam is especially hard, typical of Plasteel Corp’s foam, use a hot knife for the best results. There is a good hot knife recommendation on the tools & supplies page.
Cutting Fabric for Kimekomi from a pattern or template
Use clear vinyl for your cutting pattern so that you can select the fabric design for the most pleasing effect – especially when you want to feature a particular motif. The vinyl templates are a bit easier than paper to mold around the curved surface of the balls when you are tracing.
Thanks to Joyce Slaton for this tip.
See the FAQ page for more tips.
