Just like the crazy midcentury Santa decoration I shared last week, this birdhouse ornament is from my mom’s stash of homemade ornaments dating back to the early 1900s. This little bird feeder has always been a favorite ornament of mine – I think because rather than just hanging there looking pretty, it’s a little bit like a snapshot of a moment in time. The birds are resting on the feeder of a birdhouse to grab a quick snack before taking off. It’s really adorable hanging from a Christmas tree, and so easy to make.
Supplies
plastic canvas
red and white yarn
scissors
yarn needle
plastic shot glass (like these)
bird seed
tiny plastic birds (like these)
tacky glue
fishing line or thread
Directions
Cut the following from your plastic canvas: two 2″x3″ rectangles, one 2″x2.5″ rectangle & one 3″x3″ square.
Sew a pattern like the one pictured on the 3×3 square with red and white yarn, bordering it with a whip stitch to cover the edges of the plastic canvas.
Sew yarn in a zig zag pattern over the two 2×3 rectangle pieces, whip stitching over the two short edges and one long edge. Whip stitch the rectangles together on the remaining long side, forming the peak of the birdhouse’s roof. (See: how to whip stitch plastic canvas together.)
Sew over the remaining 2×2.5″ plastic canvas piece, whip stitching over the edges. Sew it to the inside of the rest of the birdhouse roof.
This ornament is about 50 years old, so you’ll have to pardon a bit of frizz in the detail pics.
Fill the tiny plastic cup halfway with some bird seed and glue the roof to the top edge of the cup, centering it. Glue the bottom of the cup to the center of the 3×3″ square too. Let dry.
Glue a couple teeny tiny piles of bird seed and two little birds to the base of the birdhouse to finish, and use a little bit of fishing line or thread sewn through the top edge of the roof to hang.
So adorable, right? Do you have a favorite (possibly even homemade) Christmas ornament hanging on your or a relative’s tree? I’d love to hear all about it! :)
This is sooo cool its a great idea! I wish i had all the stuff to make it
Ooh, I’m just seeing this – what a great project!! Thank you for carrying the PC torch! :-)
OMG! My mom made these YEARS ago!! I still have one on my tree every year. She also made mailbox, drum, jack-in-the-box and a few other ornaments utilizing the plastic canvas method. I treasure them because she made them. She is gone now, but these ornaments live on and her memory with them.
Yeah, homemade ornaments are my favorite heirlooms!
So glad I found this bird feeder. My mother-in-law always made these. Been wanting to make some also. Thanks!
just love these bird feeders as well as some of your other cafts. thank you so very much
I have made a dozen of these from a kit that had all the supplies. Can you tell me where to get the little shot glasses. The hanks in advance
Hi Eleanor,
Since this is a vintage ornament from my mom’s tree, I don’t know where she got those exact glasses, but after a quick Google search for “tiny plastic shot glasses,” I found several options. There were many options. I recommend starting there and choosing the ones whose look you like best!
-Heidi
That is not a shot glass, they are called commumion cups and you get them at a store that carry supplies for the churches. I’m making some now. I made them a long time ago but I just went a picked up the cups.
I bought the communion cups/small cups at The Dollar General store.
i have made these for several years and given away at nursing homes, and church . everyone has loved them. I save the communion cups from church service and take then home and wash them.
I want the pattern for the little bird feeder ornaments
I don’t have one as this is vintage. The detail shots & text give you an idea of how this would come together.
My Girl Scout troop and I made the bird feeder ornaments back in the 1980’s. I had also given them to friends and family . Many years ago, a mouse took up residence in one of my ornament boxes. She chewed through the plastic communion cup to get the bird seed and used the yarn in her nest. Haven’t given it any more thought until I was decorating my sister in love’,s tree for her. She came home from the hospital on Christmas eve. As I hung the little bird feeder on her tree, I knew I needed to make me another one, or more. So I went and purchased my plastic canvas and I am now well on the way to making my new ” vintage” ornaments.
That’s so sweet! I love to hear stories like this. (Well, maybe with fewer mice to clean up after…) ;) Enjoy!