Attaching the fabric is without doubt my favorite part of making kimekomi ornaments. There’s something incredibly satisfying about transforming simple fabric scraps and foam shapes into exquisite, artful ornaments. This particular aspect of the craft exudes a sense of wholesome fulfillment, similar to the satisfaction derived from decluttering or tidying up. I wouldn’t be surprised if the process itself triggers a release of endorphins, given how uplifting it can be.
Start with a foam base with a pattern already cut into it. The egg shown here has a piece of batting placed over one of the pattern areas – this is optional. You’ll need a piece of fabric that is a bit larger than the area you want to cover – it should have an allowance of about 1/4 inch or 0.5 cm. You can cut it to the approximate shape or just work from a larger piece of fabric without pre-cutting. I personally find it easier to use a pre-cut piece of fabric so that is what I am going to show here.
Place the fabric on top of the area you want to cover. The dashed blue line shows where the pattern area is underneath the fabric. Make sure there is extra fabric extending over the cut line on all sides. Next, take your awl or knife and grab the fabric at the edge, then slide it towards the cut line and tuck it into the groove. Sliding the fabric over from the edge helps to keep it centered over your pattern. If you start tucking the fabric in right away, it will be pulled into the groove from both sides and you might end up with too little fabric on the other side of the pattern.
Continue tucking in the fabric all around the pattern area. I find it easiest to first secure the fabric on opposite sides in the middle, then work my way towards the narrow ends of the shape. When all is tucked in, cut off any excess fabric.
Finish by hiding any fabric ends or threads in the groove. If there are any wrinkles, smooth them out by pulling gently at the fabric from the narrow ends of the shape. If you are not happy with an area, you can carefully pull out the fabric and start over. Once you are satisfied with your work, continue attaching fabric to the remaining pattern areas in the same way.
Susanne’s Ornaments 