CRAFTY THURSDAYS: No-Sew “Quilted” Star Ball Ornaments
Looking for a quick, easy, and actually-fun holiday make? Meet your new obsession: fabric star ornaments that look gorgeously quilted—without a single stitch. Yep, despite the name, nothing here is truly quilted and there’s zero sewing required.
In this hands-on class, you’ll turn small cuts of festive fabric or your favorite scraps into dimensional star ornaments perfect for your tree, household decor or for gifting. Your first ball takes about an hour; after that, you’ll be cranking out sparkle-worthy keepsakes in half the time. Warning: you may become addicted to choosing color combos.
You’ll learn how to:
• Pick fabrics and color placements for high-impact stars
• Prep, fold, and layer pieces to build a crisp, symmetrical design
• Secure everything neatly (no sewing machine, no problem)
• Add finishing touches: hanger, ribbon, and a polished back
• Customize variations so each star feels uniquely you
Perfect for:
Total beginners, crafty dabblers, and seasoned makers who want a fast, satisfying holiday project—no quilting experience needed.
You’ll leave with:
At least one dazzling no-sew star ball (and the know-how to make a whole constellation at home), plus a step-by-step guide to keep the magic going.
Skill Level: Beginner
Price: $30 plus supplies
Bring your favorite fabric scraps if you’ve got them—or just bring yourself and your festive spirit. Let’s make ornaments that look boutique, not “last-minute”.
Teacher: Tim Cardy
Tim Cardy: Lifelong fiber obsessive, unapologetic thread hoarder, and the mildly overqualified founder of a handmade empire built one stitch—and one questionable impulse buy—at a time
Tim has been tangled up in thread and fiber for over 50 years—and teaching for more than 30, from kitchen tables to institutions that should’ve known better. He has racked up ribbons in everything from felting to fashion design, built Victorian costumes that could legally qualify as architecture, and once made a doll so detailed it creeped people out (that was a win, by the way).
He has even earned two advanced degrees in Historical Fashion designs and late 19th- and early 20th-century decorative handcrafts—because when you go in - go all the way!
Tim’s résumé reads like a fiber arts fever dream: yarn mills, upholstery sourcing, fashion costing at Levi-Strauss, R&D at DuPont, and textile restoration work at the Met and the V&A. Basically, he’s done it all—except take up golf ( - who has the time to chase little balls around on a giant lawn? )
Tim take fiber seriously. But himself? Not even a little. Every yarn in the shop has been hand-picked, every vendor side-eyed for quality and ethics. Whether you’re nervously knitting your first garter stitch or hiding skeins in your laundry basket—he sees you. And he approves.