Materials required:

Sixteen 5” charm squares

5″X10″ scrap of cotton fabric or two 5″ squares (These will be completely covered so use whatever scraps you have. I used scraps of thrifted cotton sheets.)

Polyester stuffing

Hand sewing needle

Strong thread. (I used 30 wt quilting thread)

Satin cording or ribbon for the hanger

2 Buttons for the center (one for each side)

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/2

To make the inside of the ornament:

Fold the 5″X10″ scrap of fabric in half or if using 5″ squares, place one on top of the other.

Use a compass to draw a 4.5″ diameter circle.

If you don’t have a compass, you can use the lid from a yogurt container as a template.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/3

Stitch completely around the circle following the pencil line.

Use pinking shears to trim the seam allowance.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/4

Alternatively, the seam allowance can be trimmed to 1/4” and notched as shown below.

Pull the layers of the circle apart.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/5

Cut a small X in one side.

Avoid cutting the X too close to the center as you will be sewing through the center point several times.

Turn the circle right side out through the opening.

Mark the center point of each side.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/6

Stuff lightly.

You want a flatish, puffed circle, not a round ball.

Whipstitch the opening closed.

It doesn’t have to look pretty. It just needs to hold the stuffing inside while you’re adding the prairie points.

Set the stuffed circle aside.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/7

To make the prairie points:

Divide the charm pack into colorways.

For this tutorial, I used Reindeer Games by Sandy Gervais for Moda. As there were four colorways, I chose 4 charms from each.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/8

Place a charm square wrong side up on the ironing board.

Fold it in half, opposite corner to opposite corner to form a triangle. Press.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/9

Fold the triangle, corner to corner along the folded edge to form the prairie point.

Repeat for the remaining 15 squares.

To assemble the prairie point star ornament:

Thread the needle with about 30 inches of thread and tie a good strong knot.

I found that a soft sculpture doll needle worked best, but these can certainly be made using a regular hand sewing needle.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/10

Insert the needle into the center mark on one side and draw through the mark on the opposite side of the stuffed circle.

Place one corner of the prairie point on the center mark and take a stitch.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/11

Make another stitch, pulling the thread through to the opposite side of the circle as demonstrated in the left photo below.

Fold the prairie point over the circle and take a stitch in the opposite corner. Secure by taking a stitch back through to the first side.

Continue to add prairie points in this manner.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/12

If it becomes difficult to pull the needle through the layers of fabric, a surgical clamp or pair of pliers can provide a better grip to pull it through.

It can be a little tricky to sew that last prairie point in place as it needs to be tucked under the first prairie point.

Once the final prairie point is sewn in place, secure the thread with a knot but don’t cut the thread yet.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/13

Cut a 12″ length of cording (or ribbon) to form a hanger.

When using cording, I knot the ends to give me a larger area to sew through.

Sew the cord to the center of the circle.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/14

Sew a pretty button on each side. Secure with a knot and cut the thread.

The finished size using 5″ charm squares is approximately 6″ across from tip to tip of the prairie points.

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/15

Prairie Point Star Ornaments can be made in a variety of different sizes and fabric combinations.

In the photo above, the center one is the one made while creating this tutorial. The red and white used 4.5″ squares while the green and white has 4″ squares to make prairie points.

Changing the size of the ornament is easy. Simply decide what size squares to use to make the prairie points and cut the circle for the inside ½” smaller in diameter.

For example:

If you are cutting 4.5″ squares, cut a circle that is 4″ in diameter. 4″ squares would require a 3.5″ circle.

Prairie Point Star Ornaments are a great way to use up some of those charm packs or Christmas fabric in your stash!

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial/16

Prairie Point Star Ornament Tutorial is © Susan Flemming Designs 2016.

Permission is granted to make this pattern for personal use and also to sell at craft fairs or on-line venues on a small scale. Permission is not granted to produce and sell them on a large scale commercial basis. Reproduction, distribution or sale of the pattern itself is strictly prohibited without prior written permission from Susan Flemming Designs. Did you like this tutorial? Then please visit Super Mom – No Cape’s Crafty Pattern Store: Susan Flemming Designs to see the patterns I have available for purchase. (clicking on the link will take you to my store.) Each of my sewing and quilting patterns are written in the same detailed step-by-step tutorial style with lots of photos. Here are just two examples: