I've always been a fan of handmade decor, but there's something especially charming about a felt fish ornament hanging on a branch or a doorknob. There is a certain kind of "softness" that felt brings to a room that you just can't get with plastic or glass. If you're looking for a quick craft project that doesn't require a degree in textile arts or a fancy sewing machine, this is honestly one of the best places to start.
The thing I love most about working with felt is how forgiving it is. Unlike silk or cotton, it doesn't fray when you cut it. You can be a little messy with your scissors and the end result still looks intentional and rustic. Plus, it's incredibly cheap. You can grab a stack of felt sheets for a couple of bucks and end up with enough material to make a whole school of fish.
Why Felt is the Best Material for Beginners
If you're new to sewing, you might be a little intimidated by the idea of making something from scratch. But here's the secret: felt is basically the training wheels of the fabric world. It's sturdy, it stays where you put it, and it has a nice weight to it. When you're making a felt fish ornament, you don't have to worry about hemming edges or using an overlock stitch. You just cut the shape, sew the sides, and you're basically done.
Another reason I'm obsessed with felt is the color variety. You can find it in every shade imaginable—from neon pink to a deep, moody navy. For fish ornaments, this is great because you can mimic real-life tropical fish or just go wild and make a rainbow-colored creature that doesn't exist in nature. It's your project, so there are really no rules here.
Picking Your Fishy Aesthetic
Before you even pick up a needle, you should think about what kind of "vibe" you want your fish to have. Are we talking about a sophisticated, minimalist koi fish? Or maybe a chunky, goofy-looking goldfish with big button eyes?
I've found that the most successful projects usually start with a simple sketch. You don't need to be an artist. Just draw a teardrop shape with a tail on a piece of scrap paper. That's your template. If you want something a bit more complex, you could try a pufferfish (basically a circle with some fins) or a long, sleek eel shape.
The beauty of a felt fish ornament is that it doesn't have to be anatomically correct. In fact, the ones that look a little "wonky" often have the most personality. My first attempt had one eye slightly higher than the other, and honestly, he's still my favorite one on the tree.
Choosing the Right Colors
Don't feel like you have to stick to blues and greens just because it's a water creature. Some of the coolest ornaments I've seen use contrasting colors. Think a charcoal grey body with bright orange fins, or a soft lavender fish with silver stitching.
If you're making these for a specific occasion, like a holiday or a baby shower, you can coordinate the colors to match the theme. White and gold fish look incredibly elegant on a Christmas tree, while bright primaries are perfect for a kid's room.
The Supplies You'll Actually Use
You don't need a whole craft room full of gadgets to get this done. In fact, I usually just keep everything in a small shoebox. Here is what you'll want to have on hand:
- Felt sheets: Wool blend felt is a bit nicer to the touch, but the cheap synthetic stuff from the craft aisle works just fine too.
- Sharp scissors: This is probably the most important thing. Dull scissors will chew the felt rather than cutting it, which is super frustrating.
- Embroidery floss: This is thicker than regular thread and comes in tons of colors. It's what gives the ornament that "handmade" look.
- Needles: Make sure the eye of the needle is big enough for the embroidery floss to fit through.
- Stuffing: A little bit of polyester fiberfill goes a long way. If you don't have any, you can even use cotton balls or tiny scraps of leftover felt.
- Decorations: Sequins, beads, buttons, or even just different colors of thread for "scales."
How to Put It All Together
Once you have your template cut out, you'll want to cut two identical shapes from your felt. These will be the front and back of your fish. I usually pin them together just so they don't slide around while I'm working, but since felt is kind of "grippy," you can often get away without pins if you're careful.
Start sewing around the edges. I personally love the look of a blanket stitch—it creates a nice framed edge—but a simple running stitch (the basic up-and-down motion) works perfectly well and is much faster.
Leave a small gap—maybe an inch wide—near the tail or the belly. This is where you'll stuff the fish. You don't want to overstuff it until it's rock hard; just enough to give it some dimension and make it feel squishy. Once it's stuffed, sew that gap shut.
Adding the Personality
The "face" of your felt fish ornament is where it really comes to life. You can use small black beads for eyes, or even just sew a French knot (a little ball of thread) if you want to keep it safe for small children.
For the scales, you can get as detailed as you want. Sometimes I'll sew little "V" shapes across the body to represent scales. Other times, I'll glue on a few sequins so the fish catches the light when it hangs near a window. There's something really therapeutic about sitting on the couch with a podcast playing, just slowly adding beads to a felt fin.
Where to Hang Your New Friend
While we often think of ornaments as being strictly for Christmas trees, these little fish are surprisingly versatile. I've seen people string a dozen of them together to make a mobile for a nursery, and it looks absolutely adorable. Because they're soft and lightweight, they're perfect for hanging over a crib.
You could also use a felt fish ornament as a fancy gift topper. Instead of a plastic bow, tie a little fish onto the ribbon of a birthday present. It's a nice little "extra" gift that the person can keep and hang up later.
I've also seen people hang them from their rearview mirrors in their cars. It's a fun way to add a bit of personality to your commute without it being distracting. Just make sure the string is the right length so it's not swinging wildly every time you take a turn!
Making it a Family Activity
If you have kids, this is a great project to do together. Younger kids can help pick out the colors and the "eye" buttons, while older kids can practice their basic sewing skills. Since felt doesn't require a lot of tension to hold its shape, it's a lot less frustrating for little hands than slippery fabrics.
Don't worry about the stitches being perfectly even. In the world of handmade crafts, those little imperfections are what make the item special. A felt fish ornament made by a seven-year-old might have some wonky thread lines, but that's exactly what makes it a keepsake.
Final Thoughts on the Process
At the end of the day, making a felt fish ornament is just about having a bit of fun and being creative. It's a low-stakes project that yields a high reward. You get a cute, tactile object that you made with your own two hands, and there's a real sense of satisfaction in that.
Whether you're making one for yourself or a whole bunch to give away as "just because" gifts, you'll find that it's a pretty addictive hobby. Once you finish your first fish, you'll probably start looking at your felt scraps and wondering what other sea creatures you can bring to life. Maybe a jellyfish next? Or a tiny felt crab? The ocean is the limit, really.