DIY Network

Smithsonian Ornaments From "DIY Crafts" episode DIC-165

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Margaret's treetop angel adorned her award-winning tree at the Smithsonian. Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure E Figure F

Margaret Peters's treetop angel and ornaments were a hit at the Smithsonian. Your tree can look just as beautiful if you use Margaret's techniques as a guide.

Treetop Angel

Materials:

Angel pattern
3/4 yard muslin for dress
1/8 yard each of three different Christmas fabrics for hearts on dress and arms
Two 5" x 4" pieces of solid fabric for held heart
Four 3" x 2" pieces of flesh-colored fabric for hands
Two 10" x 8" pieces of two coordinating fabrics, preferably one solid and one print, for wings
9" x 9" square of extra-light batting for wings
1/3 yard fusible backing for dress hearts
11" x 17" piece of firm paper or Mylar
2 1/2"-diameter wooden ball with a flat side
Two packages of curly roving (doll hair)
Three 1/8"-diameter gold beads
20" length of 1/8" red satin ribbon
18" length of 1/4" red grosgrain ribbon
Small amount of stuffing, such as Poly-filB., for arms and held heart
12" tall foam cone with 5"-diameter base
Spool of gold metallic thread
Straight scissors
Optional: scalloping shears
Water-soluble or disappearing-ink pen
Black fine-line permanent marker
Dental floss
Hot-glue gun

1. Trace pattern pieces onto firm paper or Mylar. The arm and hand patterns include 1/4" seam allowances, which should be used for all pieces.

2. According to the manufacturer's directions, apply fusible backing to the wrong side of the two Christmas fabrics you've chosen for the hearts on the skirt. Trace six small hearts onto each piece of fabric. Mark the lines on the paper backing to see them more easily. Cut out the hearts, and remove the paper backing.

3. Cut a 42 1/2" by 24 1/2" piece of muslin and press. Beginning 1/4" away from one short edge, lay the hearts side by side along one long edge of the muslin, alternating the heart fabrics. The points of the hearts should be 1/4" from the long edge and should just touch each other at the sides.

4. Press the hearts onto the skirt bottom. Cut a scalloped edge 1/4" from the bottom of the hearts (figure A). With disappearing ink, draw a light line 2" above the hearts, and write your Christmas phrase with the permanent pen. You'll want to try this first on a piece of paper to work out the spacing. When writing, keep the fabric taut, use a light touch, and keep the pen moving. Be sure to sign and date your work. On Margaret's Christmas angel she wrote verses from "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing" along with her name and the date. On her patriotic angel she wrote the Pledge of Allegiance).
   

5. Sew the back seam, right sides facing and using a 1/4" seam allowance, then turn right side out, and press. At the end opposite the hearts, turn the edge to the right side 1/4", press, and turn the pressed edge to the right side again 1/4". Press and stitch, making a hem on the right side of the skirt. Fold the hemmed side to the inside to the point where the hearts touch. Press the folded edge. This upper part becomes the bodice.

6. With disappearing ink, lightly mark lines about every inch beginning 3/8" down from the fold on the bodice. Repeat 1" down from that line and then again to create three light lines for gathering. Gather along those lines with dental floss (figure B).
   

7. Lower the skirt over the foam cone until the points of the hearts are even with the bottom of the cone. Pull the gathering threads tight, and tie them off. The top of the cone will extend above the bodice. Tie the 1/8" ribbon around the neck on top of the first gathering line, with the knot in the center front. Tie a 1 1/2" bow atop the knot, and decoratively arrange the ribbon tails, holding them in place with a dot of hot glue. Hot-glue the gold beads to the center front of the gathering lines (figure C).
   

8. Cut out four arms and four hands from the chosen fabrics. Lay a hand on the right side of an arm, as shown on the pattern, and sew only across the hand. Repeat on all four arm pieces. Press the hand out to the front of the arm. Put two arm pieces together, right sides facing, and sew around the entire arm and hand, leaving an opening where the pattern indicates. Clip curves and turn. Stuff the arm gently to give it shape. Whip-stitch the opening. Repeat for the other arm (figure D).
   

9. Cut two small hearts from the solid fabric, using the same heart pattern that was used from the dress. Write peace or joy on the center of one heart, and place the two together, right sides facing. Sew around them, leaving a small opening for turning. Clip curves, then turn and stuff the heart slightly. Whip-stitch the opening. This will be the heart the angel holds.

10. Hold one arm against the body, a little behind the shoulder, and determine the best placement. Remember that you'll be folding the arm to hold the heart. Hot-glue both arms to the body. Place the heart in the hands with the arms bent, and hot-glue the heart to the hands.

11. Cut one package of roving into three equal lengths. The specific length is unimportant at this point. Remove the strings, and fluff the hair until you like the look. Use two pieces for the sides and one for the top and back. Run hot glue onto the ball, keeping one section clear for the face, and glue the hair, lightly pressing down to hold it in place. Take the second package of braided hair and, beginning 5" from one end (the 5" section will form a tress), glue the braid to the center back of the head. This is your starting point. Hot-glue the braid around the angel's head, dipping down to her ears, leaving enough hair showing in front for bangs and ending at the center back of the head. You should have at least 5" of remaining braid for another tress. Pull the braids out of the tresses. Cut the center strings where the braids join at the back of the head, and pull them out. Tie the tresses together with a knot where the braids join, using 1/4" ribbon. Tie the ribbon into a 3" bow atop the knot (figure E).
    

12. Cut one wing heart from the solid fabric, preferably with scalloping shears. With straight scissors, cut another wing heart from batting and one from the Christmas fabric. Trim 1/8" from the edges of the batting so it will not protrude. Baste the three layers together, right sides out, and crisscross the center several times. You may now quilt the wing by hand or machine with metallic thread, following the motifs in the fabric, or use stipple quilting. Remove the basting threads, and hot-glue the wing down the center of the angel's back, solid fabric facing out (figure F).
    

13. Cut off the remainder of the cone even with the top of the dress. Apply hot glue to the flat side of the head, and attach it to the top of the cone. Arrange the hair over the shoulders and back. Trim the hair to the length you desire, remembering that the sides go in front of her wings and the back hangs over the heart.

14. To place the angel on the tree, use an apple corer to carve a 3"- to 4"-deep hole in the center of the cone. If the hole is too large, the angel will wobble. Push the cone down onto the top branches to steady it.