How to Finish Cross Stitch Ornaments: 5 Ways to Turn Your Stitching into Christmas Decorations

A small finished stitch doesn't have to sit in a drawer. Learning how to finish cross stitch ornaments turns those little designs into decorations you can hang on the tree, give as gifts and bring out again every December. And it's far easier than it looks.

Finishing is the step that puts lots of stitchers off, and it's the question we're asked most in the weeks before Christmas. The truth is, most methods need nothing more than felt, a needle and a bit of patience, and a couple need no sewing at all. If you still need something to stitch first, many of our Christmas cross stitch kits can be broken down into individual motifs, each one just the right size for a tree decoration.

Below, you'll find a quick guide to choosing your finish, five step-by-step methods, and fixes for the problems that trip most people up.

How to Finish Cross Stitch Ornaments in a Way That Suits You

There's no single right way to finish a cross stitch ornament. The best method depends on the shape of your design, how much time you have, and how confident you feel with a needle and thread. This table should help you pick one in under a minute.

If this is your first time, start with the flat felt-backed finish. It's the most forgiving, it's quick, and it teaches you the basics you'll use for every other method.

What You'll Need

You probably have most of this already. For every method, you'll want:

• Your finished stitching
• Sharp fabric scissors
• Pins
• A needle and sewing thread
• A fabric marker or water-soluble pen
• Ribbon or cord for hanging

Depending on the method you choose, you might also need:

• Felt (wool or wool-blend felt holds its shape better than thin craft felt)
• Fabric glue
• Thin card or mount board
• Polyester toy stuffing
• Cotton backing fabric
• Iron-on interfacing
• Twisted cord for edging
• A small hoop or a snap-together ornament frame

Hobbycraft, The Range and John Lewis all stock felt, stuffing and cord. For drawing circles, raid the kitchen cupboard. A mug, a glass, a jam jar lid or even a coin makes a handy template.

Before You Start: Prepare Your Stitching

A little preparation makes a big difference to how your finished ornament looks.

Wash and Press

You don’t need to wash every piece, but if your stitching has picked up marks or hoop creases, now’s the time to wash your cross stitch. Use cool water and a little mild soap, then dry it flat.

To press, lay your stitching face down on a folded towel and iron the back. The towel lets the stitches sink in rather than being squashed flat, so they stay raised and neat. Never iron directly on the front of your stitches.

How Much Fabric to Leave Around Your Design

How much fabric you leave depends on the method:

• Flat felt-backed: about 1cm to 1.5cm beyond the stitching
• Stuffed pillow: about 1.5cm to 2cm, to allow for the seam
• Padded round: about 2cm to 2.5cm, so there's enough fabric to gather
• Mini hoop: at least 5cm beyond the hoop while you mount it, trimmed afterwards

Mark your cutting line before you pick up the scissors. You can always trim a bit more later, but you can't add fabric back. If your Aida is prone to fraying, run a thin line of fray stopper or fabric glue along the cut edge, or iron interfacing onto the back before you cut.

Method 1: Flat Felt-Backed Ornament (No Sewing Machine Needed)

This is the quickest and most forgiving way to finish an ornament, and the best place to start.

1. Cut a piece of thin card slightly smaller than the area you want to show. This is optional, but it keeps the ornament flat and stops the back of your stitching showing through.
2. Trim your stitching with a 1cm to 1.5cm margin, then fold the edges over the card. Secure them on the back with a little fabric glue, or lace them across with long stitches if you'd rather not use glue.
3. Cut your felt to the same shape, a couple of millimetres smaller than the front so it won't peek out at the edges.
4. Position the hanging loop. Fold your ribbon in half and place the ends at the top centre, sandwiched between the stitching and the felt.
5. Attach the felt. For a no-sew finish, glue it in place. For a handmade look, whip stitch or blanket stitch around the edge using two strands of stranded cotton.
6. Leave glued ornaments to dry flat, with a book on top to keep everything pressed together.

Use glue sparingly and keep it to the folded edges and the card, never the back of the stitches themselves. Too much glue can seep through to the front and leave a shiny mark. A blanket stitch edge in a contrasting colour can become part of the design, too, so don't feel it has to be invisible.

Method 2: Stuffed Pillow Ornament

The classic soft decoration, and the one we're asked about most. A pillow ornament is simply a small stuffed cushion with a hanging loop, and it works best with square or rectangular designs.

1. Cut your backing fabric (cotton or felt) to the same size as your trimmed stitching.
2. Make the loop. Fold about 20cm of ribbon in half and pin it to the top centre on the front of your stitching, with the loop pointing down into the design and the raw ends at the edge.
3. Place the backing on top, right sides together, and pin around the edges.
4. Sew around the edge about 0.5cm to 1cm in, leaving a gap of 3cm to 4cm along the bottom. Backstitch by hand, or use a sewing machine if you have one.
5. Snip across the corners, taking care not to cut your stitching. This helps them turn out crisp rather than bulky.
6. Turn it right side out through the gap and gently push the corners out with a knitting needle or chopstick.
7. Stuff in small pieces, filling the corners first. Aim for soft and squishy rather than rock hard.
8. Close the gap with ladder stitch, which pulls the two edges together so the seam almost disappears.

Once you've made one, they're quick to repeat. Make 24 small pillow ornaments and you've got a homemade advent calendar. Or skip the stuffing and fill one with dried lavender for a sweet-smelling drawer or wardrobe sachet.

Method 3: Padded Round Ornament with Card and Cord

This finish is neat and sturdy, and gives a lovely shop-bought look. It suits round designs and keepsakes you'd like to last for years.

1. Cut two circles of card the size of your finished ornament, using a mug or jar lid as a template.
2. Cut two circles of felt or thin wadding the same size. These give a gentle padded feel.
3. Cut your stitching and a backing fabric into larger circles, leaving 2cm to 2.5cm of fabric all round.
4. Sew a running stitch around the edge of each fabric circle, leaving the thread loose at the end.
5. Place the padding, then the card, on the back of the fabric. Pull the gathering thread little by little so the fabric wraps around the card. Turn it over and check the design is centred before you tie off.
6. Lace across the back in a star pattern to keep the front taut (optional, but worth it on larger pieces).
7. Join the two discs back to back, with your hanging loop sandwiched at the top, and whip stitch around the edge.
8. Stitch twisted cord around the join to hide the seam, tucking the cord ends inside at the top.

Tracing your circle with the stitching held up to a window helps you get the design sitting right in the middle. And don't rush the gathering stage. Pulling the thread too quickly is the main cause of puckering.

Method 4: Mini Hoop Ornament

If you like the look of a framed piece, a small hoop is the fastest way to get there. It also makes a thoughtful gift for friends who don't stitch.

1. Mount your stitching in a mini hoop. Hoops of around 7.5cm to 10cm (3 to 4 inches) are easy to find in craft shops. Centre the design and tighten the screw until the fabric is drum-tight.
2. Trim the fabric on the back to about 2cm to 3cm beyond the hoop.
3. Sew a running stitch around the excess fabric and pull it tight so it gathers neatly behind the hoop.
4. Cut a circle of felt the size of the inner hoop and stitch or glue it over the back to hide everything.
5. Hang it by threading ribbon through the hoop's screw fitting.

The same technique works on larger designs too. Our wooden hoops start at 6 inches, which is a little big for the tree but lovely for hanging a bigger piece on the wall, so have a look at our cross stitch hoops and stands if you’d like to try it. 

Method 5: No-Sew Ornament Frames

For the truly last-minute gift, snap-together ornament frames are a lifesaver. These are small plastic or acrylic frames (often round, oval or bauble-shaped) with a hanging loop already attached. Trim your stitching to fit, pop it inside, click it shut and you're done. Small wooden frames and mini picture frames with a ribbon tied through work in the same way.

If you’d like a more permanent finish for a small piece, it’s worth learning to frame your finished cross stitch properly, as mounting and lacing it makes a real difference.

Hanging Loops, Cords and Little Extras

Your hanging loop takes all the weight, so it's worth getting right. Narrow satin or grosgrain ribbon, baker's twine and twisted cord all work well. You can make your own twisted cord from leftover stranded cotton, which is a nice way to match the colours in your design.

Always catch the loop in a seam or between the layers rather than gluing it to the outside. Loops stuck on the surface are the ones that come loose on the tree.

For the finishing touches, a small bow over the top join, a bell, a button or a few beads all add a bit of character. Just be careful with anything small and detachable on decorations for homes with babies or young children. You can also stitch a name, an initial or the year onto the felt backing, which makes ornaments extra special as gifts.

Our cross stitch accessories are worth a browse too, especially if you're putting together a stitchy gift alongside your ornament.

Fixing Common Ornament Finishing Problems

Even experienced stitchers run into these. Here's how to sort them out.

How to Hide the Back of Your Stitching

A piece of thin card behind your stitching stops a messy back from showing through, especially on light-coloured fabric. A felt or fabric backing then hides it from view. Before you start finishing, snip any long trailing threads on the back so they can't show as shadows on the front.

Other Common Problems

• Fraying edges: run a thin line of fray stopper or fabric glue along the cut edge, or iron interfacing onto the back before cutting.
• Puckering, or the design pulled off-centre: press your stitching first, then pull gathering threads gradually, checking the front as you go.
• Glue seeping through or staining: use less, keep it to the edges, and test your glue on a scrap of Aida first.
• Lumpy or lopsided stuffing: add it in small pieces, corners first, then gently roll the ornament between your palms to even it out.
• Loop coming loose or sitting crooked: fold the ornament in half to find the true top centre, and stitch the loop in place before you close it up.
• Visible seams on a pillow ornament: close the gap with ladder stitch and pull gently, so the stitches sink out of sight.

Cushions and Wall Hangings: Same Skills, Bigger Piece

Once you've mastered the pillow ornament, you already know how to make a cushion. The method is the same, just bigger. Add a zip or an envelope-style back so you can slip a cushion pad inside, and use light interfacing on the back of your stitching so it holds its shape.

Larger designs also make lovely wall hangings. Our Deck the Halls kit is shown finished as a wall hanging, and it’s a cosy way to display a piece that’s too big for the tree.

Once you’ve caught the finishing bug, there are plenty more ways to finish off your cross stitch, from bookmarks to backing boards.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you turn a cross stitch into an ornament?

The simplest way is to trim your stitching with a small margin, fold the edges over a piece of thin card, add a ribbon loop at the top, then glue or stitch a piece of felt over the back. It takes under an hour and needs no sewing machine.

What's the easiest way to finish a cross stitch ornament?

The flat felt-backed method. It's forgiving, quick, and you can do it with glue alone if you're not confident sewing. Once you've made one, the other methods feel much less daunting.

Can you finish a cross stitch ornament without sewing?

Yes. Use fabric glue to attach card and felt to the back, or pop your stitching into a snap-together ornament frame. Both are quick and give a neat result, which makes them handy when Christmas is creeping up.

What size should a cross stitch Christmas ornament be?

Somewhere between 5cm and 10cm across suits most trees. Anything smaller can get lost among the branches, and bigger ornaments can weigh down thinner branches.

What's the difference between an ornament and a bauble?

In the UK, we tend to say "bauble" for the round decorations that hang on a tree, while "ornament" is the more common word in the US. When it comes to cross stitch, both mean the same thing: a small stitched decoration with a hanging loop.

Will my ornaments survive the post?

Flat felt-backed and padded card ornaments post well in a padded envelope or small box. Stuffed pillow ornaments can get squashed, so wrap them in tissue paper and post them in a box rather than an envelope.

How should I finish off my threads before making an ornament?

Weave your thread tails under a few stitches on the back rather than tying knots. Knots create lumps that show through once the ornament is backed and pressed flat.

Your First Ornament Starts Here

If you're new to finishing, start with a flat felt-backed ornament and build up from there. Your first one might be a little wonky, and that's fine. Every stitcher's first finish is, and handmade decorations are all the more charming for it.

When your ornaments are done, we'd love to see them. Share them in our Facebook group, where thousands of stitchers swap ideas and cheer each other on. And if you’re looking for something to stitch next, our Merry Christmas Box pattern is designed to be finished square by square as tree decorations. Larger designs like Lucky Nutcracker and Silent Night Nativity also break down nicely into individual motifs.