In this tutorial you’ll learn how to cover glass Christmas balls with fabric to create timeless farmhouse-style ornaments. These simple fabric-covered baubles soften the look of flashy store-bought decorations and bring a cozy, natural feel to your tree and home.
Why You Should Make DIY Fabric Ornament Balls
This is a quick, rewarding project with many benefits. If you prefer understated, homey holiday decor, these fabric-covered ornaments are a great choice. Key advantages include:
- Transforming shiny, flashy ornaments into simple farmhouse-style decorations that suit a softer palette.
- A no-sew method that’s accessible to crafters of all levels.
- No glue on the ball surface, which reduces the risk of pieces coming loose over time.
- A fast technique — you can make dozens in an hour or two once you get the hang of it.
- A charming result you’ll enjoy for many seasons.
How to Cover Glass Christmas Balls with Fabric
Traditional Christmas decor often emphasizes glitter and shine, but many people now prefer muted tones and natural textures. Covering glass balls with fabric is a simple way to adapt your existing ornaments to a country or cottage-style tree.
Using soft fabrics in stripes, solids, or subtle textures gives ornaments a handcrafted, layered look. The method shown here preserves the ornament’s shape while adding warmth and a tactile quality that coordinates with rustic decorations.
Items You’ll Need for This Project
- Glass or plastic Christmas balls (choose sizes that fit your tree).
- Light-to-medium weight fabric such as ticking stripe or solid cotton.
- Accent fabric for ties or bows (for example, cranberry red cotton).
- Small decorative items like tiny tree cones or other holiday charms.
- Cotton string for attaching small decorations.
- A pair of cloth scissors or pinking shears to reduce fraying.
If you want to minimize fraying at the cut edges, pinking shears are helpful, but not required. Regular cloth scissors work fine if you finish the edges by tearing or trimming neatly.
Watch Step-by-Step Directions for Covering Glass Balls
For visual learners, a short video demonstrates the process from start to finish. Watching the assembly helps with fabric placement and tying the top neatly. Use the video to follow along and pause at key moments as you practice the technique.
Tips for Making DIY Fabric Ornament Balls
Below are practical tips to get the best results and to help you customize the look for your home.
- Choose fabrics that coordinate with your tree and room colors. Ticking stripe, linen-look cottons, and simple solids work well.
- Avoid large, bold patterns on small balls—the design will be lost on a small surface.
- Fabric strips are easier to gather and tie than stiff ribbon, and they lie flatter around the ball.
- You can use foam, rubber, or wooden balls instead of glass if you prefer more durable options.
- After the holidays, store fabric-covered ornaments in a clean, dry container away from sticky items like sap-covered pine cones.
Farmhouse DIY Fabric Ornament Balls
Video
Notes
- Create a template by cutting a square of scrap fabric sized to your ball. The square should allow the fabric to rise 2–3 inches above the top of the ball.
- Use the template to cut multiple squares from your main fabric, right side down.
- Tear or cut 1/4 inch strips from the accent fabric (trim loose threads) to use as ties.
- Thread a torn strip through the ornament top if needed, then place the ball in the center of a fabric square.
- Gather the four points of the square up around the ball, pulling the fabric snugly.
- Hold the gathered fabric and tie the accent strip tightly around the top. Knot securely and add a small bow if desired.
- Trim the tie ends and attach an 8-inch piece of cotton string to secure any small decorative cones or charms.
- Hide the string under the fabric layers and trim any excess for a neat finish.
- Repeat until you have enough ornaments for your tree.
These fabric-covered ornament balls are an easy way to refresh your holiday decor with a handmade, farmhouse touch. Once you’ve made a few, you’ll find it quick to assemble sets in coordinating fabrics to create a cohesive, warm tree display.