Christmas Felt Lantern Pattern: Free A4 PDF Download

What you need to make the felt lantern

The pattern was designed for ordinary craft felt and does not require specialized sewing equipment.

• 1–2 mm beige or tan felt
• White felt
• Red felt
• Green felt
• Brown felt
• Black felt
• Small orange and yellow felt scraps
• Optional thin batting
• Embroidery floss or matching thread
• Hand-sewing needle
• Precision scissors
• Fabric glue
• Erasable fabric marker
• Tape for joining paper pieces if needed

Print the pattern at the correct size first

Before cutting any felt, print the PDF on A4 paper at Actual Size / 100%.

Do not select “Fit to page,” “Shrink oversized pages” or another automatic resizing option.

Each pattern sheet contains a 10 mm calibration mark. Measure it after printing. If it measures exactly 10 mm, the pattern has printed at the intended scale.

At the original scale, the finished Christmas decoration is approximately 36 cm high.

1. Cut the lantern roof, frame and candle

The upper lantern is built from several separate pieces rather than one large shape.

Cut the lantern roof twice in beige felt. The pattern gives an approximate size of 158 × 38 mm.

The background panel is cut twice in white. The beige frame sides and lower crossbar sit over that white panel, while a small candle and flame appear inside the lantern.

Assemble the white background first, then place the beige side pieces and lower crossbar over it. The roof is added last so it covers the upper frame joints.

2. Make the red-and-white striped post

The main post measures approximately 42 × 225 mm.

Cut the post twice from white felt. Then cut the five diagonal stripe pieces from red felt.

The red pieces intentionally extend slightly beyond the edges of the white post. Position and glue or baste them first, then trim the excess flush with the outside edge.

Only after the stripes are aligned should you join the two white post layers together.

3. Build the layered snow base

The main snow base is approximately 176 × 58 mm and is cut twice in white felt.

Four separate rounded snow pieces are layered over the front to create the uneven snowy edge.

The pattern also includes a hidden bottom reinforcement. Cut it from white felt or interfacing and place it between the two main base layers.

The suggested order is:

reinforcement → back base → post → characters → front base → decorative snow puffs.

Do not permanently close the base until the post and characters have been positioned.

4. Make the felt reindeer

Cut the reindeer body twice from brown felt.

The antlers are cut twice in beige, with one piece flipped so the pair mirrors correctly. The sheet also contains the ears, two arms, two legs and one nose.

If you want the reindeer slightly raised, place a thin layer of batting between the two body pieces before closing them.

It is easier to stitch or embroider the face before the character is attached to the main decoration.

5. Make the snowman

The snowman's head has a suggested diameter of approximately 104 mm and is cut twice in white.

Cut the body twice in white as well. The green hat is made from two pieces and finished with a white band and pom-pom.

The sheet also includes the arm and an orange carrot-shaped nose.

According to the assembly layout, part of the snowman's body can sit behind the striped post. That overlap helps create the layered look visible in the finished ornament.

6. Make the Christmas penguin

Cut the main penguin body twice from black felt. Thin batting can again be added if you want a slightly padded character.

The white belly is cut once and centered on the front body piece.

Cut two black wings and one yellow beak. The Christmas hat uses two red hat pieces plus two white band pieces.

Finish the face and belly before closing the black body layers together.

7. Assemble the lantern and characters

The last sheet is a reference guide rather than a cutting pattern.

Use it to understand how the finished layers overlap.

Use a blanket stitch for a clean felt finish

The pattern recommends a blanket stitch with approximately 3–4 mm between stitches.

Try to keep the spacing even without pulling the thread too tightly. Tight thread can distort the edge of thin felt.

Matching the embroidery thread to each felt color creates a cleaner finish.

Contrasting thread can also work if you deliberately want the stitching to become part of the decoration.

Can you add a real light to the lantern?

The printable candle and flame already create the appearance of a light inside the lantern, so illumination is completely optional.

Ideas for using the finished Christmas lantern

At approximately 36 cm tall, the finished piece is large enough to work as a standalone Christmas decoration rather than a small tree ornament.

You could display it on a wall, interior door, entryway, craft-room display or beside a Christmas tree.

The characters can also be used independently. The reindeer, snowman and penguin patterns can become tree ornaments, garland pieces, gift decorations or smaller individual felt projects.

If you make handmade pieces to sell, the same basic pattern can also be adapted with different color palettes, names or a year embroidered onto the snow base.

Download all 8 A4 pattern sheets

The complete printable file contains the introductory sheet plus all seven pattern and assembly sheets shown above.

Frequently asked questions