Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns – Penguins & Polar Bears

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

Last year I made a set of felt holiday ornaments with the theme of Christmas Cottage. I really enjoyed the process of designing and sewing them, so I knew I’d do it again this year. I made some loose sketches and chose a color palette so I could order supplies, then began designing the patterns once November started. (Eek, it’s November!!)

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

This year’s theme is Polar Families, inspired by some of the animals Jax and I have been studying in homeschool with our world continent project. There will be four designs: a penguin daddy and chick, a narwhal family, a pair of penguin mates and a polar bear mama and cub. The latter two are featured in this post.

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

What I Used

I am listing all the supplies I’ll use for the 4 ornaments, noting the ones not needed for these two.

These beautiful sequins are a new offering of American Felt and Craft!

These beautiful sequins are a new offering of American Felt and Craft!

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

Penguin Mates

 After I cut out all my pieces, I tacked them into place on white felt with a thin layer of felt glue. I cut a wavy strip of white felt for the snowy ground and tacked it down across the bottom. Then I trimmed down the background felt so there was just a small edge around the penguins.

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

For the penguins, the heart and the top of the snowy ground, I stitched all the edges down with matching floss. (I use 2 strands.) I stitched crystal sequins randomly onto the snowy ground using 2 stitches each.

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears  Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

On the white background, I stitched snowflakes: a plus sign shape of four stitches, all stitched towards the center, then four more longer stitches on the diagonal in between.

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

I cut a length of red ribbon and a piece of orange whip (coral orange) felt to fit as the ornament’s backing. I stitched all the way around, adding stuffing halfway and catching the ribbon loop in the top. I used a blanket stitch.

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

Polar Bear Mama & Cub

After I cut out all my pieces,  I cut a wavy strip of sparrow (light blue) felt for the snowy ground and tacked it down across the bottom dolphin (grayish teal) felt with a thin layer of felt glue. Then I tacked down the remaining pieces, only sticking the base of ear ear down. I trimmed down the background felt so there was just a small edge around the polar bears.

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

For the polar bears, the heart, the scarves and the top of the snowy ground, I stitched all the edges down with matching floss. (I use 2 strands.) I stitched crystal sequins randomly onto the snowy ground using 2 stitches each. For the ears, I made three small stitches in the base of each so the rest of the ear could stick up. On the mama’s scarf, I stitched coral sequins. I stitched dragonfly sequins onto the cub’s. At the bottom of each scarf, I made 4 upside-down V stitches as tassels. The polar bear’s noses are satin stitched. Their mouths are straight stitches. For the eyes, I made a curved stitch, then tacked the curve in place with a teenie tiny stitch wrapped around the center, much like you’d do with the lazy daisy stitch.

Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns - Penguins & Polar Bears

I cut a length of red ribbon and a piece of lemongrass (green-yellow) felt to fit as the ornament’s backing. I stitched all the way around, adding stuffing halfway and catching the ribbon loop in the top. I used a blanket stitch.

Are you an Etsy or craft fair seller? Would you like to sell these ornaments, or any other item sewn from an Imagine Our Life pattern? Visit my Etsy shop and contact me for custom commercial licenses. All authorized sellers get featured on the website.

If you make one of these ornaments, I’d love to see it! Stop by our Facebook page, or mention me @iolstephanie on Instagram or Twitter. (If you are private on Instagram, I’ll have to request to follow you to see it.) Happy holiday crafting!

9 thoughts on “Polar Family Felt Ornament Patterns – Penguins & Polar Bears

  1. Regina

    Sorry if this is posted somewhere but is it just one sheet of each color or one sheet each ornament? Can’t wait to make these two!

    Reply
  2. Jenny

    I am so excited you put your patterns up. I have been looking forward to it especiallyy the Polar Bears. I LOVE polar bears.

    Reply
  3. Nancy Anderson

    Thank you so much for publishing these patterns! I adapted the polar bear one to give to my daughter and her new husband for Christmas. They had hugging polar bears on the top of their wedding cake, and I wanted to commemorate that in an ornament for their first Christmas. I could not have come up with this on my own, but I was able to adapt your darling design. Thank you so much! I tried to show you a photo, but can’t seem to do it from my phone. Sorry I’m not very techy!

    Reply
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