DIY Felt Envelopes
Make these cute and fun DIY Felt Envelopes with your kids to play house with, mailman and more! Trace either one of our patterns to make your own felt envelope and then let their imagination run wild.
These adorable DIY felt envelopes are so much fun to make and are the perfect craft for older kids and even adults! Whether you want an extra special way to give someone a sweet handwritten note or want a fun Valentine’s Day treat to hand out, this fun craft project will bring a smile to your face. While you can felt envelopes that are already made, it’s so much more fun to create them yourself!
I love DIY projects. We make DIY bird feeders and DIY photo candles simply because it’s just more exciting to make them ourselves. And I feel the exact same way about this felt envelopes DIY project. They turn out so cute and really are a total blast to make! The finished product is the perfect thing to hide little surprise inside or save for those days that you need to brighten someones day with a sweet note. So, let’s get started!
Why You’ll Love DIY Felt Envelopes
- While these may look a bit difficult, they’re actually really easy to make! Depending on your kid’s age, they may need an adult’s assistance but they really aren’t too hard to make.
- This craft is made easy with a free felt envelope pattern. You won’t need to eyeball anything, just use the pattern and follow the instructions!
- Make one complete envelope in just 30 minutes. Yep! You really don’t have to spend a super long time to finish this craft.
Supplies Needed for DIY Felt Envelopes
- Envelope pattern #1 or #2 – Use the downloadable felt envelope template that is provided. It will be the guide to cut out the shape and size of felt needed for this craft.
- Hot glue gun – Hot glue is the easiest thing to use to secure decorations onto felt.
- Felt sheets – Grab whatever color of felt sheets that you want. You can find these in the craft section at Walmart or at your local hobby store.
- Fabric scissors – I recommend making sure that you have sharp scissors so that they don’t slip and slide around on the felt while you are trying to cut it.
- Pinking shears – These are best to use when cutting felt, but you can use sharp scissors if you don’t have pinking shears on hand.
- Foam letters and stamps – Look at your local craft store for letters and stamps made of felt or even fabric. You can add them to the front of each envelope to make them look more realistic.
- Yarn darning needles – You’ll need a needle or two to run the embroidery thread through the edges of these adorable felt envelopes.
- Sewing clips and needles – Both of these tools will be super helpful while creating these felt envelopes.
- Embroidery floss – Use whatever color of embroidery floss that you want! Have fun mixing and matching the felt and floss colors.
- Buttons – Grab some cute buttons that can be used to secure the flaps of the envelopes closed.
How to Make DIY Felt Envelopes
First things first, choose which felt envelope pattern that you would like to use. The grey pattern is easier for younger children, while the other pattern is a bit more difficult.
Gather all of the necessary supplies and then follow the instructions associated with the pattern that you have chosen.
Envelope Pattern #1
Plug in the hot glue gun before you start so that it has time to warm up. Then print out the template and cut it out carefully.
Once your pattern is printed and cut out, fold it in half so that the sides line up perfectly.
Choose a sheet of felt in the color that you want to use and fold it in half on the short edge, the long edges should be touching. Clip or pin the folded pattern to the folded felt. You want both of the fold lines to be touching.
Cut around the edges of the paper pattern using fabric scissors. If you are working with younger children, be sure to help at this step or do it beforehand because fabric scissors are very very sharp!
Once you have cut the envelope shape, unclip it and unfold the felt. The part facing up will become the inside of your envelope.
Use the clps again and clip the side flaps. Then use hot glue or fabric glue to adhere the flaps to the bottom portion of the envelope.
After the glue has dried, add the letter and the stamp, or personalize it any other way that you want! Then add the button.
Place the button on the front side of your envelope, somewhere near the top third line in the middle. Thread your embroidery floss through a needle, doubling the thread by cutting an 8 inch piece and sending it halfway through the needle.
Tie a knot near the end and then start threading on the inside your envelope. Send the needle through the first buttonhole and then pul the embroidery thread form the top side through the other hole and pull the thread until it is tight.
End the sewing on the inside of the envelope, behind the button. Then finish with a double knot and cut the ends, leaving a bit of extra thread so that it does not come undone.
After the button is in place, cut a hole in the flap of the envelope for it to fit through. I recommend making it a bit smaller than the button because it will stretch out.
And that’s it! Your little envelope is good to go.
Envelope Pattern #2
Just like you did for the first pattern, plug in the hot glue gun to heat up and print out the felt envelope template and cut it out.
Then line up the bottom of the pattern with the bottom of the felt sheet that you have chosen to use. Secure the pattern with 2 sewing pins, one near the top and one near the bottom. Then carefully cut around the pattern with your fabric scissors.
Once cut, fold the bottom edge to meet just under the top flap that will later become the envelope flap. Fold up from the bottom. The envelope section should be about 3.5 inches.
Clip the bottom portion in place to keep your hands free to operate the glue gun. Unclip one side at a time and secure them in place with hot glue.
You can skip to adding the button, or move on to these optional next steps!
Thread a needle with embroidery floss and tie a knot at the end. Then starting at the top of the envelope, insert the needle down to the inside bottom right corner and push the needle out around the corner. Hold the envelope facing up and loop around to insert the needle form the top side and pull through the bottom.
Continue this process until you reach the top of the envelope. Once you reach the top, secure the thread with a double knot. Repeat this process for the left side.
Sew the button into place and cut a hole in the flap that will secure the envelope closed around the button. Then glue on the letter and stamp and once dry, the envelope is ready to go!
What should I put in a felt envelope?
Handwritten notes, wooden hearts, candy, and little trinkets would all be cute in these adorable envelopes. Anything mini-sized can go in it, so get adventurous and turn these into the perfect carrier for all of your tiny things and little surprises! You could even put a gift card or two inside them!
Pro Tips for the Best Felt Envelopes!
- Just a little bit of glue will do! Use it sparingly to avoid any spilling out and touching your fingers or looking messy. This applies to both fabric glue and hot glue, whichever you plan on using.
- You can use a tiny dot of glue to hold the end of your thread in place on the felt when you embroider the sides of each felt envelope.
- Turn this into a lesson about the parts of a letter! Show your kids where a stamp should and where an address would be written on a real envelope.
- If you are working with really young children, you can save time by cutting out their felt envelope pieces before starting the craft with them. The patterns are a bit difficult to cut, so make sure that those with less developed fine motor skills have help from an adult.
Make these adorable DIY felt envelopes and use them for any and everything that you want!
More Fun Crafts You’ll Love!
- Make really sweet DIY keepsakes with this easy recipe for Salt Dough.
- This Paper Bag Handprint Bee Craft is just the cutest thing ever and is so much fun for littles!
- Create as many Star Suncatchers as you want and hang them in the window for all Patriotic holidays!
- This Handprint Flower Pot Craft will put a smile on moms face as a sweet and thoughtful Mother’s Day gift.
DIY Felt Envelops
Ingredients
Instructions
- Choose which pattern you would like to use. I have included 2 patterns. The gray envelope pattern (#2) is very simple and easy for younger children to put together if you opt to leave off the optional stitching. This can also be used for hand-eye coordination practice, as long as you assist the child while operating the darning needle!
- Gather all of your supplies, and follow the directions for the envelope pattern that you choose!
Envelope Style #1:
- If you will be using a hot glue gun, plug it in so that it is ready when you need it. Alternatively, you can use fabric glue, just note that it will take some time to dry before you can move forward and finish your project.
- Print pattern 1 on a standard size 8.5” x 11” piece of paper. Cut out the mailbox shape.
- Once your pattern is printed and cut out, fold it in half. (The sides should line up perfectly.)
- Fold your felt sheet (color of choice) in half on the short edge. The long edges should be touching.
- Clip or pin your folded pattern to the folded felt on it’s fold (not on the open edges). You want both of their fold lines to be touching. You are putting the 2 folds together. When you cut and open up the felt, it will look just like your paper pattern when it is opened up. It will look similar to a fire hydrant! 😊
- Cut around the edges of the paper pattern using your fabric scissors. If you have little helpers, PLEASE help them with this part because fabric scissors are SHARP! If your helpers are itty bitty, I suggest prepping this step beforehand.
- Once the envelope shape is cut, unclip and unfold the felt. The part of the envelope facing up will become the inside of your envelope.
- Using your clips again, clip down the side flaps and use hot glue OR fabric glue to adhere the flaps to the bottom portion of your envelope. Just a little bit of glue will do, so use sparingly to avoid any spilling out and touching your fingers or looking messy!
- Once your envelope is glued and dried, it is time to add the letter and the stamp. This is optional, but makes it personalized and CUTE!
- Use hot glue or fabric glue to adhere the letter on the backside in the middle of your envelope, and to adhere the stamp in the top right corner, just like on a real envelope! I love to use this activity as a learning experience. Teaching children all about the sections of an envelope is fun!
- Once the glue is dry, it is time to add the button.
- For little hands, this step can be tricky. Please assist little ones, or do this step for them! Bigger kids can do this with ease. Place the button on the front side of your envelope somewhere near the top third line, in the middle.
- Thread your yarn darning needle with the embroidery thread. I like to double the thread by cutting a piece about 8 inches in length and sending it halfway through the needle. Then I tie a knot near the end. Start on the inside of your envelope, and carefully send the needle through the first buttonhole. Pull the embroidery thread all the way through until the knot is against the inside of the envelope. Then insert your needle from the top side through the other buttonhole, and pull the thread through until it is tight. You should end on the inside of the envelope, behind the button! Finish off with a double knot, and cut the ends leaving a little bit of extra thread so that it will not easily come undone.
- Once your button is sewn in place, it is time to cut the hole for the button to fit through. Fold your envelope in half, clip it at the very top using one clip, and snip a straight line (using your fabric scissors). You want to make the hole smaller than your button because the felt will stretch some. If the hole is larger than your button, it may not stay closed very well. For my button, I cut a line that was about ¼ inch in length. Just use your best judgment for the size button that you use.
- Time to PLAY! We love to use these little envelopes for handwriting practice, sibling bonding, and pretend play!
Envelope Style #2:
- If you are using a hot glue gun, plug it in so that it is ready when you are ready to use it.
- Print Felt Envelope Pattern 2 on a standard 8.5” x 11” piece of paper, and cut around the pattern.
- Line up the bottom of the envelope pattern with the bottom of your choice of color felt sheet. I like to line up the bottom right edges to make less work when cutting.
- Secure the pattern by placing 2 sewing pins through the pattern and the felt. Place one near the top (middle) and one near the bottom (middle).
- Cut around the pattern.
- Once your felt pattern is cut, you will fold up the bottom edge to meet just under the top “flap” that will fold down to be the envelope flap. Fold up from the bottom. Your envelope section should measure roughly 3.5 inches. You can be more precise and measure if you’d like. I just like to guess and leave enough room for the top flap to flap down. 😊 Clip the bottom portion in place to give you free hands to operate your glue gun.
- Unclip, one side at a time and secure in place with just a little bit of hot glue. If you prefer to use fabric glue because you have little hands helping, that will work just fine! You will just need to make sure that the glue has enough time to dry before moving forward.
- **The next steps are optional** If you would like to add stitching to the side, you can do that now. You can opt to leave it simple and just keep with the glued edges. Choose an embroidery thread color and thread your darning needle. I cut about 10 inches to give me plenty of string to work with, and then I thread it through the eye of the needle. Tie a knot near the end of the thread so that you can pull it to the envelope without it going through. If you want, you can CAREFULLY add a tiny drop of hot glue to anchor it in place. Alternatively, you can double-knot it before sending it inside the envelope to ensure it will stay in place.
- From the TOP of the envelope, insert your needle down to the INSIDE BOTTOM right-side corner of your envelope. You want to come out around the corner. From here, you will hold your envelope, facing up, and loop around to insert your needle from the top side and pull through the bottom. You will continue this process, inserting from the TOP and pulling through the BOTTOM each time until you reach the top of the envelope.
- Once you reach the top of the envelope, secure it with a double knot, and you can use a tiny bit of glue in between the felt fabric. The knot should be hidden between the front and back of the envelope.
- Repeat steps 8-10 for the left side of the envelope.
- Now it is time to add your button! For little hands, this step can be tricky. Please assist little ones, or do this step for them! Bigger kids can do this with ease. Place the button on the front side of your envelope somewhere near the top third line, in the middle.
- Thread your yarn darning needle with the embroidery thread. I like to double the thread by cutting a piece about 8 inches in length and sending it halfway through the needle. Then I tie a knot near the end. Start on the inside of your envelope, and carefully send the needle through the first buttonhole. Pull the embroidery thread all the way through until the knot is against the inside of the envelope. Then insert your needle from the top side through the other buttonhole, and pull the thread through until it is tight. You should end on the inside of the envelope, behind the button! Finish off with a double knot, and cut the ends leaving a little bit of extra thread so that it will not easily come undone.
- Once your button is sewn in place, it is time to cut the hole for the button to fit through. Fold your envelope in half, clip it at the very top using one clip, and snip a straight line (using your fabric scissors). You want to make the hole smaller than your button because the felt will stretch some. If the hole is larger than your button, it may not stay closed very well. For my button, I cut a line that was about ¼ inch in length. Just use your best judgment for the size button that you use.
- Finally, it is time to glue the letter and the stamp on the back of the envelope! For this stamp, I used my pinking shears to cut a square out of white felt. Feel free to use any color you would like for your stamp to make your envelope customized and personalized! Use hot glue or fabric glue to adhere the letter on the backside in the middle of your envelope, and to adhere the stamp in the top right corner, just like on a real envelope! I love to use this activity as a learning experience. Teaching children all about the sections of an envelope is fun!
