Craft nostalgic Scandinavian Christmas ornaments with a pig-shaped cookie cutter

Fabric pigs on a string

Classic cookie cutters and fabric-sewn pigs make an adorable row.

Draw a pig template using the cookie cutter on the wrong side of fabric folded in half, adding a 5 mm seam allowance all around (about 0.2 in). Sew the pieces together with the wrong side facing out, leaving a 2–3 cm opening along the back (about 0.8–1.2 in). Turn the piece right side out through the opening, lightly fill it with batting, and sew the opening closed together with the hanging ribbon. Add beads for eyes, and tie the pigs from their ribbons onto a jute cord. Punch a hole in the pig-shaped cookie cutters by positioning a thick nail along the edge and tapping it with a hammer against a wooden block. Then thread a silk ribbon through the hole for hanging.

Flying cardboard pigs

Cardboard pigs are a great way to use up leftover cardboard.

Trace a pig template using the cookie cutter on corrugated cardboard, and cut it out. Create the wing from the same cardboard. Decorate both the pig and the wing with a white marker, adding flowers, leaves, dots, and swirls. Cut a slot in the pig’s back at about the wing’s midpoint, matching the cardboard’s thickness, and slide the wing into place. If necessary, add a small drop of glue. Finish with a hanging string.

Place card & tree ornament

Create multifunctional decorations from craft clay. After the dinner party, your guests can hang the place cards on their Christmas trees year after year.

Roll out a sheet of light craft clay (Fimo air) to about 2 mm thick (about 0.1 in), then use the pig-shaped cutter to create the ornaments. Use a straw to make a hole near the back for the hanging ribbon. Smooth the edges of the clay pigs, and let them dry for a day or two.

Paint a base color first using chalk paint, and once it dries, add decorations and text. Tie a silk ribbon into a bow for the dinner table, then later tie the ends together into a loop for hanging on the tree.