When You Stitch Upon A Star — Sewing A Plushie Christmas Tree, Part 4/4

When you stitch upon a star…

Welcome to the grand finale of the ‘Sewing a Plushie Christmas Tree’ tutorial series! In the earlier parts, we’ve:

• Crafted the pattern pieces in Part 1,
• Sewed up the cushion in Part 2, and
• Wrapped it in a soft, fluffy cover in Part 3.

Now, it’s time for the finishing touch—decorating this tree with its very own star!

This Star isn’t just an accessory; it’s a standalone plushie star that’s quick, fun, and customizable. Adjust the pattern to any size you like, or even add a playful touch by giving it your favorite emoji-inspired face. Let’s light up the tree with a star that truly shines!

Materials & Tools

• Fabric: 20’’ x 10’’ (50cm x 25cm), ideally light weight or soft to touch, like minky or fleece. If you’re not picky about fabric, you can repurpose scraps of lightweight or mid-weight woven fabrics or stable knits.
• Stuffing: fabric scraps cut into small pieces work perfectly, especially scraps from the Christmas Tree’s cover—its fluffy texture adds a nice bounce. Of course, polyester fiberfill from the craft store is another solid option.
• (Optional) hand embroidery kit: if you’d like to give the star a facial expression, you’ll need embroidery floss, a needle, and a hoop. Don’t have these? No problem—substitute with all-purpose thread and a hand sewing needle. For a small, simple design like this, you can embroider without a hoop.
• (Optional) Stabilizer or interfacing: a small scrap, about 1" x 3" (2.5cm x 7.5cm), of embroidery stabilizer or fusible interfacing can help if you’re adding embroidery.
• Your preferred tools: gather your go-to tools for measuring, cutting, marking, basting and sewing.

The Pattern

Download the free pattern here in the store — it includes a 1/4" (6mm) seam allowance.

• To resize the star, adjust the print scale (e.g., not 100%). Remember, the pattern’s seam allowance of 1/4" (6mm) is already included, with the gray dashed line marking the actual stitch line.
• Looking for emoji inspiration? Use Google’s Emoji Kitchen to preview some fun designs for your star, something like:

Achoo! Excuse me.

Sewing Up

1. Trace two star pieces, deciding if you’ll embroider one or both sides. If skipping embroidery, feel free to cut them out now.
2. If embroidering, trace the emoji on the right side of the fabric, as stabilizer will cover the wrong side.
3. Place the fabric taut in a hoop (if available). Use a chain stitch, backstitch, or stem stitch for the mouth, and satin stitch for the eyes. (Google for tutorials if needed — they’re easy, I promise!)
4. If the fabric tends to shift wildly, you might want to delay cutting until after sewing the stars together (Step 5).
5. Pin densely or hand baste to prevent shifting.
6. When trimming, be careful not to cut into the stitch line; if there’s a oops, stitch another line right inside the line being cut, blending it with the existing line around that spot.
7. Poke carefully in the corners with a sticky thingy, like a capped seam ripper.
8. Periodically push the stuffing toward the end of each starhand(?). I’m always surprised how much something so little can take in.
9. Fold/roll the seam allowance in, and take stitches along the fold. Ta-da!

Final Thoughts

Don't forget to hand tack the star onto the Plushie Christmas Tree! This Plushie Tree is just the beginning—it opens the door to endless decorating possibilities! The Star is only the STARter, and there’s so much more you can do to decorate it year after year. Sew on buttons, add ribbons, or craft ornaments—it’s all up to you. Plus, since it’s reusable, it’s an eco-friendly and hassle-free alternative to traditional decorations. So go ahead, enjoy your cozy, charming tree, and make it a centerpiece for many festive seasons to come!