William Morris Christmas: 14 Cozy Pattern Decor Ideas That Look Like a Museum Shop for Pennies

A William Morris Christmas feels like stepping into an old English country house on a snowy afternoon. Morris was the Victorian designer behind those famous twisting vines, plump strawberries and little songbirds that still cover pillows, mugs and wallpaper today. His patterns are everywhere again, and the good news is that his old designs are free for anyone to enjoy. You do not need a big budget to bring that rich, cozy look home for the holidays. A few scraps of patterned paper, a roll of velvet ribbon and some fresh greenery go a very long way. These 14 projects borrow his love of nature and handmade things, and every one of them can be made at the kitchen table. Pour a cup of tea, gather your scraps and let’s make the season beautiful..

A William Morris Christmas Mantel Full of Pattern

Start with the mantel, because it sets the mood for the whole room. A William Morris Christmas mantel is all about layers: a thick evergreen garland, deep green velvet bows, ornaments in vine and bird prints and a row of small gifts wrapped in matching paper. Morris, who lived from 1834 to 1896, believed a home should be full of things that are useful or beautiful, and this look is both. Cover the empty fireplace opening with a fabric screen in a botanical print for an instant old world feel. Which pattern would you pick first..

You will need: A fresh or faux evergreen garland, velvet ribbon, patterned ornaments, small boxes, botanical print paper, a folding screen or board covered in fabric.

How to make it: 1. Drape the garland along the mantel and tie velvet bows every 12 inches. 2. Wrap small boxes in matching paper and line them up on the shelf. 3. Cover a board with patterned fabric and lean it in front of the unused fireplace.

Wallpaper Scrap Ornament Balls

Old wallpaper sample books are a treasure for crafters, and Morris style prints are some of the prettiest you can find. Cut the paper into small strips or tiny triangles and glue them onto plain plastic ornament balls with decoupage medium. The curves hide any small wrinkles, and the vines seem to wrap right around the ball. Hang them from velvet ribbon instead of hooks for a richer look. A set of six in a box makes a lovely hostess gift too. Do you have any wallpaper samples hiding in a drawer?

You will need: Plain plastic or foam ornament balls, wallpaper samples or printed pattern paper, decoupage medium, a soft brush, velvet ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Cut the paper into small strips about half an inch wide. 2. Brush decoupage medium on the ball and smooth the strips on, overlapping slightly. 3. Seal with one more coat, let dry and tie on a ribbon loop.

William Morris Christmas Gift Wrap You Can Print at Home

Because his original designs are now in the public domain, you can find high quality scans of them in many free museum collections online. Print a favorite pattern on large sheets of matte paper, or take the file to a copy shop for poster sized prints, and you have William Morris Christmas wrapping paper for a fraction of the price of fancy store rolls. Finish each gift with a rust red velvet ribbon and a sprig of rosemary or pine. Your presents will look like they came from a museum gift shop. Who on your list would love this?

You will need: Printed pattern sheets, double sided tape, velvet ribbon, small sprigs of greenery, scissors.

How to make it: 1. Download a free public domain pattern scan and print it on large matte paper. 2. Wrap each gift with neat folded edges and double sided tape. 3. Tie with velvet ribbon and tuck in a sprig of greenery.

Vine Print Fabric Tree Skirt

A tree skirt covers the stand and frames every present, so it is worth making it special. Look for cotton fabric in a willow vine or leafy print in deep indigo, sage or rust. You only need a large circle with a slit and a hole in the middle, and you can even skip the sewing by using iron on hem tape. Add a simple border of velvet ribbon for a finished edge. Once the presents are stacked around it, the whole tree looks like a page from a Victorian storybook. Will your skirt be blue, green or red?

You will need: About 2 yards of patterned cotton, a matching lining fabric, iron on hem tape or a sewing machine, velvet ribbon, string and a pencil for marking the circle.

How to make it: 1. Fold the fabric in quarters and mark a large arc and a small center arc with string and pencil. 2. Cut the circle, cut one straight slit and line it with the backing fabric. 3. Hem the edges and finish with ribbon.

William Morris Christmas Napkins With a Strawberry Stamp

One of his best loved designs shows little birds stealing strawberries from his garden, and it inspired this easy table project. Carve a small strawberry and leaf stamp from a soft rubber block, then press it in a scattered pattern across plain linen napkins. Fabric ink makes the design washable, so you can use these William Morris Christmas napkins every year. Stamp one corner only for a simple look, or cover the whole napkin for a bolder pattern. They make a sweet set to give with a jar of homemade jam. What would you serve on them?

You will need: Plain linen or cotton napkins, a soft carving block, a carving tool, red and green fabric ink pads, an iron.

How to make it: 1. Draw a small strawberry and leaf on the block and carve away the background with adult help. 2. Ink the stamp and press it firmly onto the napkins. 3. Let dry and iron on the back to set the ink.

Embroidered Bird Ornaments

Birds appear again and again in Morris patterns, and a little stitched bird is a perfect way to bring that charm to your tree. Cut two bird shapes from felt or linen, add a few simple stitches on the wings, then sew the halves together and stuff them lightly. Even beginners can manage running stitch and French knots, and small wobbles only add to the handmade feel. Make a whole flock in different colors and hang them close together on one branch. They also look lovely tied to a gift. How many birds will you make?

You will need: Felt or linen scraps, embroidery floss, a needle, a little stuffing, a paper bird template, thin ribbon.

How to make it: 1. Trace the bird template twice on fabric and cut out. 2. Stitch the wing pattern on the front piece with floss. 3. Sew the two halves together, stuff lightly and add a ribbon loop before closing.

William Morris Christmas Art From Fabric Squares

Here is a holiday art wall that costs almost nothing. Fabric remnants and fat quarters in botanical prints become instant artwork when you stretch them inside simple frames. Mix two or three patterns that share a color, like deep green, and hang them close together above a sideboard or console. This William Morris Christmas wall stays pretty long after the tree comes down, so you can leave it up all winter. Thrift store frames work perfectly once you give them a coat of paint. Which wall in your home needs a little pattern?

You will need: Fabric remnants or fat quarters, thrift store frames, thin cardboard, spray adhesive or tape, paint for the frames.

How to make it: 1. Remove the glass and cut cardboard to fit each frame. 2. Wrap the fabric tightly around the cardboard and tape it on the back. 3. Paint the frames, slip in the fabric panels and hang them as a group.

Velvet Ribbon and Greenery Garland

Velvet ribbon gives instant Victorian richness, and it is one of the cheapest ways to make greenery look expensive. Wind a wide ribbon loosely through a garland on a mantel, staircase or railing, then add generous bows at the ends. Deep red, moss green and gold all fit the classic palette. For more old fashioned ideas in the same spirit, take a look at our Charles Dickens Christmas decor ideas. A long garland looks fullest when you tuck in a few real cuttings from the yard. Where would a garland look best in your house?

You will need: A faux or fresh garland, wide velvet ribbon, florist wire, scissors, a few fresh evergreen cuttings.

How to make it: 1. Lay the garland in place and secure it with florist wire. 2. Weave the ribbon loosely through it, twisting every foot or so. 3. Tie big bows at both ends and tuck in fresh cuttings for fullness.

Vine Stenciled Wooden Tray

A plain wooden tray from a thrift shop becomes a keepsake with one simple stencil. Paint the tray a soft cream, then stencil a trailing willow vine around the border in sage green. Morris loved bringing the garden indoors, and this little project does exactly that. Use it to carry cocoa to the living room on cold nights, or give it as a gift with a bag of homemade cookies on top. A coat of clear sealer protects the paint from spills. Who would you serve first with this tray?

You will need: A wooden tray, cream chalk paint, sage green acrylic paint, a vine stencil, a stencil brush, painter’s tape, water based sealer.

How to make it: 1. Sand the tray lightly and paint it cream. 2. Tape the stencil along the border and dab on green paint with an almost dry brush. 3. Let dry fully and seal with two thin coats.

Stained Glass Look Window Cling

His firm made beautiful stained glass for churches and homes, and you can get a similar glow on any window without cutting glass. Draw a simple tulip and leaf design on paper, slip it under a sheet of plastic, then trace the lines with black dimensional paint and fill the shapes with glass paint. Once dry, peel the design off and press it onto the window. Morning sun turns it into glowing jewel colors. Kids can help with the coloring while an adult handles the outlines. Which window gets the best light in your home?

You will need: A clear plastic sheet or page protector, black dimensional paint, glass or window cling paints, a paper pattern, a toothpick.

How to make it: 1. Slip the paper pattern under the plastic and trace the lines with dimensional paint. 2. Let the outlines dry, then fill each shape with color and pop bubbles with a toothpick. 3. Dry overnight, peel off and press onto clean glass.

Hand Dyed Ribbon in Old World Colors

Morris was famous for working with natural dyes, and he spent years testing colors made from plants. You can try a tiny version of that at home with cotton or silk ribbon. Onion skins give warm rust and gold, while spinach or nettle leaves give soft greens. Simmer the ribbon in the dye bath, rinse and let it dry on a towel. The colors come out soft and a little uneven, which looks wonderful on gifts and wreaths. Wind it on wooden spools for a pretty present of its own. Which color would you try first?

You will need: Plain white cotton or silk ribbon, onion skins or leafy greens, an old pot used only for crafts, salt or vinegar, wooden spools.

How to make it: 1. Simmer onion skins or greens in water for 30 minutes with adult help and strain. 2. Soak the ribbon in salty water, then simmer it in the dye for 20 minutes. 3. Rinse, dry flat and wind onto spools.

William Morris Christmas Notebook Gifts

Plain notebooks from the dollar store turn into lovely gifts with a cover of patterned paper. This is one of the easiest William Morris Christmas projects to make in a batch, so you can finish a whole stack for teachers, coworkers and friends in one evening. Glue the paper onto the cover, fold the edges inside like a book jacket and add a coat of matte sealer so it stays clean in a bag. Tie three together with twine and a sprig of holly. Who on your list loves to write things down?

You will need: Plain notebooks, printed pattern paper, decoupage medium or glue stick, a bone folder or ruler, twine, matte sealer.

How to make it: 1. Cut the paper an inch larger than the open cover. 2. Glue it on, smoothing from the spine outward, and fold the edges inside. 3. Seal the cover, let dry and tie the notebooks with twine.

Pressed Botanical Place Cards

Leaves and flowers were the heart of every Morris design, and pressed botanicals bring that same feeling to a holiday table. Press small leaves, ferns and petals in a heavy book for about two weeks, then glue one or two onto folded cream cards and write each guest’s name underneath. The result looks delicate, natural and very elegant. Guests often take them home as a keepsake. Start pressing now and you will have plenty by Christmas dinner. If you want to learn more about the designer himself, his life story on Wikipedia is a fascinating read. What would you press first?

You will need: Small leaves, ferns and petals, a heavy book, parchment paper, cream card stock, a glue stick, a fine pen.

How to make it: 1. Press the plants between parchment inside a heavy book for two weeks. 2. Fold card stock into small tent cards. 3. Glue on the pressed pieces with a dot of glue and write each name below.

William Morris Christmas Gift Boxes Lined With Pattern

The best surprise is the one inside the box. Line plain kraft boxes with botanical pattern paper so the moment of opening feels special, just like a William Morris Christmas present should. Fill them with small handmade treats, like the stamped napkins, a stitched bird or a hand dyed ribbon from this list, and add a layer of tissue on top. Close with velvet ribbon and a sprig of greenery. It is a simple touch that makes every gift look like it came from a fine shop. Which of these projects will you make first?

You will need: Plain kraft or white gift boxes, pattern paper, a glue stick, tissue paper, velvet ribbon, greenery.

How to make it: 1. Measure the inside of the box and lid and cut paper pieces to fit. 2. Glue the paper into the bottom and sides of the box. 3. Fill with gifts and tissue, close and tie with ribbon.