• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Polka Dot Chair logo

  • SEWING
    • Free Sewing Patterns
    • Bag Patterns
    • Costumes
    • Apparel
    • Learn to Sew
    • Beginner Friendly
    • Embroidery Projects
    • Tips & Techniques
    • All Sewing
  • QUILTING
    • Quilt Blocks
    • Learn to Quilt
    • Free Patterns
    • Quilt Patterns
    • All Quilting
  • CRAFTS
    • Disney
    • Cricut
    • Printables
    • All Crafts
  • HOLIDAYS
    • Seasonal Projects
    • Valentine’s Day
    • Easter
    • 4th of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
    • All Holidays
  • TUTORIALS
  • ABOUT
    • About Me
    • My Fabric Collections
    • Published Books
    • Press
    • FAQ’s
    • Contact
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • SHOP
menu icon
go to homepage
  • SHOP
  • TUTORIALS
  • SEWING
  • QUILTING
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • CRAFTS
  • HOLIDAY PROJECTS
  • ABOUT
    • Published Books
    • My Fabric Collections
  • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • SHOP
    • TUTORIALS
    • SEWING
    • QUILTING
    • SUBSCRIBE
    • CRAFTS
    • HOLIDAY PROJECTS
    • ABOUT
      • Published Books
      • My Fabric Collections
    • CONTACT
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Holidays » Christmas

    How to Make Fabric Kimekomi Christmas Ornaments

    Updated: Sep 28, 2022 by Melissa Mortenson · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads · 1 Comment

    Learn how to create tucked fabric Christmas ornaments using a method called “kimekomi”. These beautiful ornaments are great for using up some Christmas fabric scraps!

    red, white and green fabric christmas ornament with bow in basket

    Hello, friends! It’s time for another ornament DIY! I have had this ornament in the works for some time, and I am so excited to share it with you finally! 

    These gorgeous ornaments are easy to make and what’s so special about them is that this specific technique comes from a traditional Japanese doll-making technique called “kimekomi.” 

    red, white and green fabric christmas ornament with bow in basket

    I first became aware of kimekomi ornaments when I was given this ornament my mom made back in the 1970’s. I have always loved this ornament and wondered how she made it, so I started doing a little research and found this is a technique that goes back almost 300 years!

    hand holding fabric ornament

    What is Kimekomi?

    It is said that the origin of kimekomi dolls began with “Tadashige Takahashi, who worked at Kamigamo Shrine in Kyoto between 1736 and 1741 and made dolls from pieces of wood leftover from making tools used in ceremonies and dressing them in leftover pieces of kimono fabric.”

    A doll form was carved in wood, and then thin grooves would be carved into the wood, where the cloth would then be inserted to create clothing for the doll. These dolls range from simple to very intricate and have become a fixture in Japanese culture.

    About the Ornaments

    fabric ornaments in bowl

    These ornaments are a simplified, modern spin on traditional kimekomi. We will be using foam instead of wood, but the technique of tucking the fabric into the grooves but the technique of tucking the fabric into grooves to create a design remains the same. Let’s get started!

    red, white and green fabric christmas ornament with bow in basket

    Supplies

    To make one ornament, you will need:

    ornament supplies on white cutting mat

    — A foam ball. (I used 3” foam balls. For this beginner, no math method, look for foam balls that have an “equator line” around the middle, and preferable, also have a “north and south pole” spot on each side of the ball. These markings are made in manufacturing the foam balls and are very helpful.)

    — Fabric scraps. Your scrap pieces will need to be at least ½” wider and longer than each “orange slice” section. For this ornament, we will use eight different scraps of fabric.

    — ⅜” Ribbon

    — Straight pins

    — A pearl head pin

    — Tacky glue or basting glue (optional)

    — Exacto knife

    — Marker

    — Small flat head screwdriver or another tool for tucking the fabric

    red, white and green fabric christmas ornament with bow in basket

    How to Make a Kimekomi Christmas Ornament

    Julia Fraizer
    Learn how to create tucked fabric Christmas ornaments using a method called “kimekomi”. These beautiful ornaments are great for using up some Christmas fabric scraps!
    4.34 from 3 votes
    Pin It! Share by Email Share on Facebook
    Prep Time 30 mins
    Active Time 1 hr
    Total Time 1 hr 30 mins

    Equipment

    • Small flat head screwdriver or another tool for tucking the fabric
    • Exacto Knife

    supplies

    • 1 package ⅜” Ribbon
    • 1 package Straight pins
    • 1 A pearl head pin
    • Tacky glue or basting glue optional
    • Marker
    • 1 Styrofoam Ball Mine is 3"
    • 8 scraps Fabric

    Instructions
     

    Step 1.

    • Use your marker to draw a line around the “equator line” on the foam ball. This line is a product of the manufacturing process, and is a helpful starting point for our project.
      foam ball with lines drawn on it

    Step 2.

    • Now find the “north and south pole” markings. Use the marker to draw a line from the north pole to the south pole, and back up around the ball. You will end up with four sections like this.
      foam ball with lines drawn on it

    Step 3.

    • Draw a line through the center of each section, creating a total of eight sections.
      foam ball with lines drawn on it

    Step 4.

    • Use your exact knife to cut along all of the lines. These are the grooves we will be tucking the fabric into.
      knife cutting lines in foam ball

    Step 5.

    • Adding glue is optional. If you are adding glue, place a thin bead of glue over half of one section.
      close up of glue lines on foam ball

    Step 6.

    • Using a small screwdriver (I use one that came with my sewing machine) or another tool, begin tucking a piece of fabric into the grooves. Tuck a bit on one side, then on the other side, carefully working your way up to the tip of the orange slice. (Remember, we are just doing half of the slice right now.)
      fabric on foam ball

    Step 7.

    • Trim the fabric as close to the foam ball as possible.
      fabric on foam ball

    Step 8

    • Repeat Steps 5-7 on the other half: add a thin bead of glue,
      fabric and foam ball on cutting table
    • tuck the fabric, and trim.

    Step 9.

    • Go back and tuck in any extra bits of fabric or stray threads.
      screw driver and foam ball with fabric on table

    Step 10.

    • Start on the section next to the one you just finished. Repeat Steps 5-9. Glue. Tuck. Trim. Glue. Glue. Tuck. Trim.
      fabric on foam ball
    • Then do a final tuck, concealing extra fabric and stray threads.
      fabric on foam ball
    • Continue these same steps until all of the sections are finished.

    Finishing Touches

    • To add the ribbons, first take a length of ribbon and wrap it around the foam ball. I like to add a dab of blue at the north and south poles before wrapping the ribbon.
    • Use the decorative pearl head pin to hold the ribbon in place at the bottom of the ornament. Use a simple straight pin to hold the ends of the ribbon in place at the top of the ornament.
    • Cut a 7” length of ribbon to form the loop and pin it in place at the top of the ornament. Add another dap of glue over the pin. Then make a small bow and pin it in place directly over the dab of glue.
      fabric ornament with ribbon on white table

    Video

    PRINT
    Tried this tutorial?Let us know how it was!

    And you are done! Easy and timeless, these ornaments can be customized so they are truly one of a kind. Use fabrics representing a favorite sports team, use baby clothing for baby’s first Christmas, pieces of fabric from grandpa’s old shirts, and so on. The options are endless!

    Julia’s Christmas Ornament Tutorials

    • July: Paper Poinsettia Ornaments
    • August: Paper Memory Christmas Ornaments
    • September: Kimekomi Fabric Ornaments
    • November: Granny Rocker Christmas Ornaments
    • December: String Christmas Ornaments
    • January: Retro Diorama Ornaments

    Join me again next month for another ornament tutorial! Be sure to follow me on Instagram @bayhillstudio and subscribe to my YouTube Channel for more creative content and project inspiration. Have a blessed day!

    About the Designer

    Julia Frazier is the founder of Bayhill Studio. Julia designs quilts and projects geared toward beginner quilters and crafters. You’ll usually find her at her sewing machine or hiking in the nearby mountains. Follow Julia on Instagram @bayhillstudio, and subscribe to her YouTube channel for new and exciting projects and tutorials. Be sure to check out her Bayhill Studio website for a growing list of tutorials and patterns.

    You May Also Like:

    • 30 Handmade Christmas Ornament Patterns & Sewing Tutorials
    • Quilt As You Go Scrappy Christmas Ornament Tutorial
    • Felt Gingerbread House Christmas Ornament Pattern
    • Cat Embroidery Hoop Christmas Ornaments

    More Projects You May Enjoy

    • How to Make a Retro Diorama Ornament
    • How to Make String Christmas Ornaments
    • Hot Chocolate Christmas Neighbor Gift Idea
    • Peeking Rudolph Christmas Pillow Pattern

    • Share
    • Email

    About Author

    Melissa Mortenson

    Melissa Mortenson is a blogger, designer, and content creator. She is the Polka Dot Chair blog founder and has been sharing fresh and creative ideas with readers since 2008. She is the author of “Project Teen, Handmade Gifts your Teen will Actually Love.” Her work and designs have been featured on HuffPost, TODAY, Pioneer Woman, HGTV, BuzzFeed, Better Homes & Gardens, and many other established publications. Her first fabric line, “Derby Style,” debuted in January 2015 through Riley Blake Designs.  Additional fabric collections have followed it in subsequent years. A mom of 3, she considers herself lucky to be living in Kentucky.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Betty says

      September 30, 2022 at 8:54 pm

      Love your site.

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! It’s nice to meet you.

    I’m Melissa. I like to design things, like fabric, printables, and projects.

    I’m also a Mom and a Maker. I am like most of you, just trying to do my best every day. Some days I succeed, many days I fail.  I find joy in creating, if you do too, then I hope that you find something here bring a little “happy” to your life.  Find out more about me here.

    COPYRIGHT POLICY

    All my images and text are copyrighted. You may NOT use any images from this site in any kind of Video (this includes YouTube). If you would like to feature my work, you may use ONE (1) NON-COLLAGED image and must “follow” link back to my original blog post. You may NOT edit, crop, or change my images in any way without written permission. You MAY NOT print out or copy and distribute any text, images or patterns from this site. All patterns, content, instructions, and templates are for personal use ONLY! Thank you! Violators will be reported.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclaimers
    • About Melissa
    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Pinterest

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • FAQ
    • Press
    • Published Books
    • Fabric Collections

    Welcome to the Polka Dot Chair! Here you’ll find easy, step-by-step, sewing, quilting, and crafting projects. We design projects for Makers of all skill levels. Beginners are welcome!

    DISCLAIMER:

    While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the content on this website, the information is made available without warranty of any kind. The Polka Dot Chair accepts no responsibility or liability, whether direct or indirect, as to the currency or accuracy of the information, nor any consequence of its uses. This website is not intended to substitute the advice of a professional.

    Copyright © 2022 Polka Dot Chair

    [ Placeholder content for popup link ] WordPress Download Manager - Best Download Management Plugin