Star Babies

Get ready to have your heart melted... the star babies are here! Or, rather, get ready to learn how make them yourself, and melt the hearts of everyone you know! Whether you use them as hanging decorations or toys for little ones in moon pockets, they are sure to bring a twinkle to everyone's Christmas.

You will need: Felt sheets, Pencil, Scissors, Pipe cleaners, Beads, Embroidery thread, Needle, Carded wool, Glue.

You can either use our template sheet below to get the shapes you need or make them up yourselves, in which case a star biscuit cutter may be handy!

Click on the image above or on this Star Babies Template link to print.

1. Cut the body shape out of a piece of felt and fold it in half, then round the points of the star with a pair of scissors.

2. Fold it in half longways and, lining up your scissors with the top point, cut a small slit no more than 1cm long. (That's only 5mm either side of the fold).

3. Take a pipe cleaner, (the 18cm ones work perfectly with the templates we made), and fold it in half. Push the folded end through the slit you've just cut in your felt, then push it through a bead.

4. Bend the top of your folded pipe cleaner over the bead to hold it in place.

5. Cut a pipe cleaner in half and lay it under the 'body' part of your folded pipe cleaner, along the line of the star baby's shoulders. Fold each 'arm' over to the opposite side to hold it in place. Then bend the bottom parts of your folded pipe cleaner out to the sides from the middle of the star, so that they go down into the 'legs' of the star baby.

6. Measure out a piece of embroidery thread by circling it around your star three times. Tie a knot at one end and thread your needle.

If you choose not to do blanket stitch you won't need quite so much thread, but if you would like to do it here's a little demo:

7. Starting at one of the 'hands' of your star baby, take your needle through the felt from the inside of the fold and begin stitching the felt together.

8. When you've got about half way round your star take a little pinch of carded wool and stuff it either side of the pipe cleaners. Continue with your stitching until you reach the other 'hand', adding a little more carded wool as you go.

9. Cut the hat shape out of your felt, bring the two flat sides together and sew them up. (You should have enough thread left from when you measured it out earlier).

10. Glue the hat onto the top of the bead and prepare for your heart to melt!

Don't let your little star get lonely up there in the night sky, give them some friends to twinkle with.

Star Babies will make your heart melt in whatever colours you make them in, and the mini ones, (made with the 10-12mm templates), are super cute!

My kids soon got the hang of this and are planning on giving star babies to everyone this Christmas. (Shhh)!

They decided to embellish their creations with even more stars, cut out from the felt scraps.

To turn your star baby into a hanging decoration you can either put a stitch in the hat, or at the back of the shoulders so it looks like they're flying. (The great thing about using pipe cleaners is that you can bend them back, to add to the flying effect)!

Attach hanging stars to their hands for even more cuteness.

Something that's irresistible to do with a star baby is make a moon pocket for them, because, really, have you ever seen anything more adorable?

We hope this idea's got a few presents sorted for you, and brings a twinkle of joy to your Christmas Crafting!