project // felt shamrock ornament with benzie deep-etch dies

I always love a good mix-and-match project, and this felt shamrock ornament is SO MUCH THAT! First, it combines felt and printed fabric. Next, it mixes up the idea of ornaments and non-Christmas holidays. And finally, it uses two different deep-etch dies that I designed for Benzie Design, changing up how you use one of them in a big way.

And among all of those things that I think are pretty fun, one of the things that make this project unique from almost every other ornament pattern I've made is that this has a very 3-dimensional quality to it. Plus, St. Patrick's Day is just kinda fun, right?

But first, let's talk about the deep-etch dies.




*This post contains affiliate links.* I've designed several sets of dies that you can use with a manual cutting machine (I have the Sizzix Big Shot). The first set was called Circles and Scallops and its primary use is for cutting out ornament bases, but there's a lot more you can do with them too.

Then I created a set called Stamp of Approval, which has stamp base pieces, but also hearts and an X and O. Now, you could make a shamrock stamp with just this set, but I went for a circular ornament and the second to largest heart.

I didn't think I needed a die-cutter like this. But I LOVE using it. And I love finding new ways to use the dies that I have.



So if you are still processing all this, the shamrock on this ornament is made with hearts. The stem part is just cut freehand. And while this tutorial doesn't have patterns (I'm using the dies, afterall), you could cut circles for the ornament base and then cut out some hearts if you don't have these dies.

I'll also show you how to easily make this a 4-leaf clover, which would make this a lucky charm and not just an ornament.



I maintain that hearts are NOT just for Valentine's Day, and using them to make something else entirely only adds to my point.

So let's grab some supplies and make a shamrock ornament!



You will need:

Wool blend felt in two colors
Circles and Scallops deep-etch die
Manual die cutting machine
Green printed fabric
Paper-backed fusible web (I used Wonder Under)
Iron
Stamp of Approval deep-etch die
Scissors
Green embroidery floss
Needle
Stuffing



Cut out a front and back circle for your ornament.



Iron the fusible web to the back of the fabric, then peel off the paper and iron it to a piece of felt.

This is a piece that's the right size for one heart, but you can prepare a larger piece to cut all your hearts. You'll just run them through the cutting machine one at a time.

You'll need a total of three hearts for a shamrock or four hearts for a 4-leaf clover.

Place the die on the fabric side of the fused felt. Cut it out with the die cutter. You may notice a little embossed line around the edge, but that will go away if you iron it.

You can place the die on the felt side instead of the fabric side, but I found it had a cleaner cut placing the die on the fabric.



Cut a small stem from one of the fused scrap pieces. It can be as simple as a rectangle if you want!



Fold the hearts in half with the fabric sides touching. Iron them to crease the center.



Arrange the pieces on the scalloped circle. This is how a 4-leaf clover would look, but I went for a shamrock, so the hearts needed to spread out a little.



Use three strands of embroidery floss and running stitch to sew down the middle of each of the shamrock pieces.

Place the front and back of the ornament together an sew around the edges with running stitch through the stitch markings. Leave an opening and add a bit of stuffing inside.

Finish sewing the opening closed.



Add a simple hanging loop on the back of the ornament.



Share your finished ornament with your favorite Irish friend or make a bunch to decorate an all-seasons tree!

Of course, you can also hang one of these in your car as a good luck charm. Maybe even fill it with lavender so it doubles as an air-freshener!



One of the reasons I made mine as a shamrock, verses the 4-leaf clover has to do with St. Patrick himself. Well, sort of. Legend says that St. Patrick would use a 3-leaf clover or shamrock to explain the concept of the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Like the leaves, they are all separate but also one and the same.

That may not have been something St. Patrick really did, but I still love that this Irish symbol can be a reminder of the Trinity even today!