Have you tried the origami appliqué technique yet? It’s a super simple but stylish way to upgrade all kinds of textiles, whether handmade or store-bought. The idea is to connect marked points on the fabric with straight stitches, creating a shape that looks like a folded origami figure. To add an extra touch, you can sew small beads at the connection points. The technique is so easy that you can fit a DIY Christmas pillow into your busy pre-Christmas schedule without any stress.
We’ve designed three Christmas templates for you, so you can create a whole set of handmade throw pillows and sofa cushions in no time!
What are origami-style drawings?
Origami-style drawings are inspired by the art of Japanese paper folding, featuring clean, geometric shapes that mimic the appearance of folded paper. When sewing, the technique uses simple straight seams to recreate the origami look, making it a quick and beginner-friendly project. The result is a minimalist, eye-catching design that’s perfect for creating modern Christmas decorations.
Free download: Santa hat, Christmas tree, and reindeer origami style drawing
We offer three festive motifs for free download: a classic Santa hat, a stylized Christmas tree, and a charming reindeer. Each design features crisp, geometric lines that create the modern, origami-style look. Choose your favorite or use all three to create a coordinated set of DIY christmas pillows. These motifs also work beautifully for other projects like table runners or wall hangings. Feel free to scale them up or down when printing!
You can download the origami style drawings using this link:
Christmas origami-style drawings
How to use our origami-style templates
Using our templates is simple and requires no advanced sewing skills. Print your chosen motif – Santa hat, Christmas tree, or reindeer – and transfer it onto your pillow cover. Stitch along the lines using a straight stitch. Experiment with different thread colors to match your holiday décor or create a bold contrast. This technique also works well for creating wall art, table runners, and other Christmas decorations.
1. Print out the motif and poke through the corner points with a sharp tool (e.g., a pointed pen). Use a fabric marking pen to transfer the corner points onto the right side of your fabric.
2. Connect the points with a ruler.
3. If your fabric is stretchy or thin, stabilize the back with embroidery stabilizer. Tip: For a more pronounced 3D effect, use fluffy plush fabric with one or two layers of fleece batting. For fabrics with a high pile, like minky, place a transparent, water-soluble embroidery film over the motif before sewing. This keeps the stitches from getting lost in the pile.
4. Sew along the lines step by step using a straight triple stitch (“safety seam”). If your sewing machine doesn’t have a triple stitch, don’t worry! You can still make the origami appliqué. Use a regular straight stitch instead with extra-strong thread, or sew over the lines multiple times. It’s a good idea to test the effect on a fabric scrap first.
5. For an added touch, sew small beads onto the corner points. This gives the motif an extra bit of flair and our Rudolph his red nose 🙂
You can also watch this quick tutorial from our YouTube channel on how to create origami-style appliqués:
Looking for more minimalist DIY christmas pillow ideas?
If you love the clean, modern look of our origami-style drawings, be sure to check out our other minimalist holiday project: festive pillows using one-line drawings. This technique involves creating elegant motif made with a single continuous line on your pillow cover using a rope that’s stitched into place. It will look just perfect combined with throw pillows created with the origami style drawings!
