Most projects call for 100-percent-wool felt. Use fabric shears to cut the felt. For designs that require precise cuts, switch to a craft knife (used with a cutting mat) or small scissors. In some projects, the felt will be fused with a second piece of felt or wool tweed. To do this, you'll need fusible webbing, available at crafts stores. Insert it between layers (paper backing removed), and press with an iron to bind.
Attach these pinecones to hand-made stockings (see stocking pattern) or store-bought ones. They can also be used to top gifts. Each pinecone is made by coiling strips of felt around a small Styrofoam ball. To mimic the texture of a real pinecone, the strips' edges are cut using a rotary cutter with a wave blade.
Using scissors or a rotary cutter with a straight blade on a cutting mat, cut 3 strips of brown felt that are 14 inches long and about 1/2 inch wide. Using a rotary cutter with a wave blade, cut along 1 edge of each strip to create a wavy border.
Step 2
Apply fabric glue to 1 end of 1 strip. Begin to form a pinecone by coiling felt, with wavy edge pointing down, and securing with glue as needed. Shift each coil up slightly as you work, exposing wavy edge and creating an egg shape.
Step 3
Continue until coils reach 1/2 inch high. Insert a 1- or 1 1/2-inch-diameter Styrofoam ball; secure with glue. Cut tiny V-shaped notches every 1/2 inch along flat edge of remaining felt strip, then at closer intervals toward end of felt strip. Continue to wrap notched felt strip around ball, joining felt at notches so it fits snugly around ball; secure with glue as you work.
Step 4
Insert an eye hook into foam ball at top of pinecone. Glue to secure.
Cut a 3- to 4 1/2-inch-long oval out of green felt. Cut equal narrow strips of green felt and fusible webbing that are about 3/4 inch shorter than length of oval. Cut a piece of floral wire 2 inches longer than oval.
Step 7
Center wire, webbing, and strip on oval so bottom edge of strip is near bottom of oval and wire extends 2 3/4 inches below edge. Iron, following webbing manufacturer's instructions.
Step 8
Using a small pair of scissors, cut fringe ("pine needles") at a slight angle around perimeter of oval and straight at the top. Refine shape by cutting points at the ends of fringe. Wrap wire with brown floral tape.
Step 9
Repeat to make more pine sprigs.
Step 10
Make Branch
Pass pine-sprig wires through the eye hooks at tops of pinecones, and twist wires to form a stem. Wrap stem with brown floral tape.
Step 11
Pin branch on stocking. Using a needle and thread, hand-stitch branch onto stocking. Remove pin.
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