Stars Hollow Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt pattern by Suzy Quilts | suzyquilts.com #ornamenttutorial #DIYornament

Halloween is over... which means... IT'S CHRISTMAS!!! Whoah, slow down, isn't there another holiday coming up at the end of November? I'm normally the kind of person that waits until after Thanksgiving before putting up my Christmas tree, but this year is an exception. Regardless of when your decor comes out, this Christmas tree ornament tutorial based on the Stars Hollow quilt pattern will certainly get you in the holiday spirit!

If you haven't already heard, the Stars Hollow quilt pattern is the perfect mix of traditional blocks with a modern twist! After making this tree ornament, I plan to make an entire Christmas themed Stars Hollow quilt. Imagine the coziness snuggled up next to the tree under a quilt named after our favorite mother-daughter sitcom, Gilmore Girls - pass the hot cocoa please!

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This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Supplies for Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts
This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt pattern by Suzy Quilts | suzyquilts.com #ornamenttutorial #DIYornament
This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt pattern by Suzy Quilts | suzyquilts.com #ornamenttutorial #DIYornament

Step 1: Cut the Ornament Fabric

This Christmas tree ornament tutorial is perfect for using up scraps! Cutting instructions are as follows:

  1. Fabric A (red): One 1 3/4" square, one 2 1/8" square, two 1 3/4" x 3" rectangles
  2. Fabric B (green): One 1 3/4" square, one 2 1/8" square, two 1 3/4" x 3" rectangles
  3. Fabric C (swan print): One 3" square, eight 1 3/4" squares
  4. Border & Back Fabric (white with squares): Two 1 1/4" x 5 1/2" rectangles, two 1 1/4" x 7" rectangles, one 7" square

My fabric:

  • Solid red fabric is Artisan shot cotton in Crimson/Brown by Windham Fabrics
  • Solid green is Artisan shot cotton in Dark Green/Light Green by Windham Fabrics
  • Swan print is Royal Swans in Green from the Park Life collection by Elizabeth Olwen for Cloud 9 Fabrics
  • White with copper squares is Square it Up from the Alma collection by Alexia Marcelle Abegg for Ruby Star Society.
This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

A Tip for Fussy Cutting

The center of the star in this Christmas tree ornament tutorial can be perfect for featuring a fun bit of a print! I definitely was feeling the "seven swans a swimming" vibe, and wanted a swan to be the star of the show (pun intended.)

This ornament is "on point", which doesn't just mean it's on fleek, it means that when it's hanging, the center square will look like a diamond. Another example of a quilt that's on point is the Thrive Quilt! Thus, while cutting your 3" square, be sure your fabric is oriented so that the top of the diamond and bottom of the diamond are straight with your pattern. Your center square should look like the square on the right, not the left.

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(And yes, if you look closely, you can see I used the square on the left first, realized my mistake, then ripped the entire thing apart to cut and use the square on the right.)

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 2: Assemble the HSTs

After you're finished cutting, it's time to start sewing! Take the Fabric A and Fabric B 2 1/8" squares and place them RST. Using the two-at-a-time method, create two HST's. If this is your first time sewing using this method (or if you just need a refresher!) check out this blog post all about HST's.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 3: Assemble the Flying Geese

Next, using the Fabric A and Fabric B 1 3/4" x 3" rectangles and the Fabric C 1 3/4" squares, create the four flying geese blocks using the one-at-a-time method. Need a recap on how? Here's a blog post all about flying geese! Instead of six geese a laying, we just need four geese a flying.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 4: Press!

Once you have all your teeny tiny blocks sewn, press all the seams open. A tailor's clapper was extra helpful in getting such small seams to lay perfectly flat, which made it easier to get perfect points when sewing the blocks together. 

You've heard me sing their praises before, but if you haven't picked one up already, you won't regret it! Otherwise, put it on your Christmas list - it's the perfect stocking stuffer size!

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 5: Sewing the Blocks Together

Now it's starting to come together! Next, lay out your blocks as shown above. Sew the blocks together in horizontal rows. 

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

After your rows are assembled, sew the rows to each other. Be sure to line up your seams to get those points as perfect as possible!

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts
This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Press those seams open, and admire your work! The hard part is over - and this would be a perfectly acceptable time to reward yourself with a Christmas cookie orrrr leftover Halloween candy. Whatever you happen to have on hand will work just fine.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 6: Attach the Borders

Next, take 1 1/4" x 5 1/2" border pieces and attach them to opposite sides of the block. Press seams open. Then, take the 1 1/4" x 7" border pieces and attach them to the other two opposing sides. Press those seams open as well.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 7: Sewing the Perimeter of the Ornament

Place the front of your ornament and the 7" backing square RST. Cut a piece of ribbon approximately 4"-5" in length, and create a loop, tucking it carefully inside between the two layers. Keep in mind that you'll need to sew through this when you're sewing around the perimeter of the ornament, and pinning it in place may help keep it from shifting.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Pin around the rest of the edges, then sew using a 1/4" seam allowance, leaving a 2" gap in one of the sides.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 8: Insert the Poly-Fil

Now that you've sewn all the way around your tree ornament, turn the ornament right side out through the 2" hole, making sure to push the corners out well. Then, take the Poly-Fil batting and stuff an adequate amount into your ornament. I filled mine quite full to make it a bit rounder, and made sure that a good amount of poly made it into the corners so they didn't look flat.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts

Step 9: Sew the Gap Closed

Last but not least, use a needle and thread to sew the gap closed using an invisible/ladder stitch. Now, not only are you done with your newest, trendiest Christmas tree ornament, you also deserve at least one more Christmas cookie and/or Halloween candy. Trust me, your kids will never even realize that Reese's is missing.

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt by Suzy Quilts
This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt pattern by Suzy Quilts | suzyquilts.com #christmasornament #DIYornament

So whether your're ready to rock around your Christmas tree in the first week of November, or whether it's a "ho ho no" until after Thanksgiving, you can be ready to deck your halls with this Christmas tree ornament tutorial whenever the season feels right!

This Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial walks you through an easy DIY project based on the Stars Hollow Quilt pattern by Suzy Quilts | suzyquilts.com #ornamenttutorial #DIYornament

11 thoughts on “Stars Hollow Christmas Tree Ornament Tutorial

  1. Marie Duffy says:

    Hi Suzy
    I want to make a Christmas tree skirt. Do you have any tutorials or patterns? I love your modern style.
    Marie (Brisbane, Australia)

  2. Debbie says:

    Hi Suzy
    Made a couple of these for my grandsons….great tutorial! I love the U-shaped pins you showed….can you tell me your source?
    Thanks…happy holidays…

  3. Lindsey says:

    Hi! Thank you for posting this tutorial! I am very excited to make some Christmas gifts for family and friends!

    I made a few this weekend and am wondering if there’s any sewing (or cutting?) trucks to make sure the edges look neater and make the overall appearance more square. (I am doing my best to fill into the corners, but they don’t fill out the same way the middle does, so they look a bit strangely pointy.)

    • Suzy Quilts says:

      Instead of sewing a final square, you could sew flat corners and snip the tip off the extra fabric. That will get rid of pointy edges. OR, if you want to keep the square, and make the tips more pronounced, take s chop stick or pencil and really cram the filling into the corners.

  4. Malgosia says:

    Hi Suzy – maybe I am doing these wrong …. but these “ornaments” are huge are they not? I love the pattern but I think they are just way too big for an average sized tree.

    • Laura Hopper says:

      Hi Malgosia! Before stuffing, the ornament should finish at 6.5″ square. Are yours bigger than that? You can see some great shots of this ornament on a standard-sized tree with other ornaments around it, so you can get an idea of how it will look at the finished size! If you have any other questions or want to send photos if your ornament isn’t coming out at the right finished size, feel free to email me at [email protected] 🙂

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