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It’s that time of year — we’re rolling into the holiday season! And this felt Swiss roll tutorial is the perfect sweet food toy to spread some holiday cheer. If you don’t want to give this away (and who would blame you for wanting to keep something so cute for yourself), a felt Swiss roll makes an adorable addition to your holiday decorating, especially in the kitchen! Just be careful that none of your guests try to eat a slice…
Skill Level: Confident Beginner, Intermediate
Time: 3 hours per roll
Additional Supplies:
Swiss Roll Template (click to download)
Cardboard
Chalk Roller or Disappearing Ink Pen - optional
The supplies listed above will make a chocolate Swiss roll. To make a white chocolate and raspberry-style Swiss roll shown below, use felt, thread and poms in the following colors:
Ecru Pure Wool Felt (2)
Apricot Pure Wool Felt
Garnet Pure Wool Felt
Crimson Felt Balls
Sulky Thread in Linen and Meringue
Directions:
Prepare Swiss Roll Pieces
1. Begin by printing Swiss Roll templates on freezer paper. Cut templates out of paper, but do not cut along template lines yet. Using medium heat, press freezer paper templates onto felt.
Print cardboard templates onto regular printer paper. Cut out templates and trace onto cardboard. Cut out.
2. Cut along template lines using 5" scissors to get smooth curves. Remove freezer paper.
3. This tutorial uses reverse appliqué on the swirl ends of the Swiss roll. Reverse appliqué differs from traditional appliqué because instead of sewing a small design onto a larger piece of fabric, a design will be cut away from the fabric that will be layered on top of another similarly sized fabric. This is why the tutorial is listed as for confident beginners or intermediate felt crafters, but you can do it!
4. Cutting out the swirl design is the most challenging part of this project. Begin by folding the Swiss roll swirl piece in half and making a small cut in the shaded area. Next, carefully cut towards the outer edge of the swirl outline.
5. Continue cutting along top side of swirled Swiss roll end for approximately 2". This gives the scissors more space to move around interior of swirl. Switch to cutting down towards bottom of the piece, and continue cutting entire swirl.
Swiss Roll Ends
6. Place a jelly-colored felt on back of swirled felt piece cut in the previous steps. Jelly-colored felt piece will be slightly smaller than swirled felt piece.
This is what the other side of the felt piece will look like. Use Wonder Clips to attach two felt pieces.
7. Whip stitch swirled felt piece onto jelly-colored felt.
8. Each Swiss roll or slice uses two swirled pieces that should be mirror images of each other as shown below. Repeat Steps 4-7 with a second swirled and jelly piece in a mirror image of the first.
Frosting
9. Each piece of felt frosting uses five circles. Fold one circle twice so it looks like a triangle.
10. Sew triangle to a flat circle using a small cross stitch at tip of the triangle. This stitch will not be visible, so it’s ok if it’s messy. Repeat these steps with three more circles and set aside.
11. Repeat Steps 9-10 for additional frosting dollops.
Assemble Swiss Roll
12. Find center of round top piece by folding in half and marking with a chalk roller (dark felt) or disappearing ink pen (light felt.)
13. Next, align a piece of frosting with center mark. For a Swiss roll slice, use one dollop of frosting. For a full Swiss roll, use three.
14. Attach frosting to round top by folding edges of frosting towards center and sewing a loose back stitch around the entire circle at bottom of frosting.
15. Use Wonder Clips to attach one swirled end to round top. Blanket stitch around round top only. Repeat to sew mirror image swirled felt piece to other side of round top.
16. Insert one cardboard side into each side of Swiss roll or slice. Tuck round edge into blanket stitch to help roll keep its shape. Stuff the Swiss roll with Polyfil.
17. Place cardboard flat base into opening at bottom. Use Wonder Clips to attach felt flat base piece to bottom. Blanket stitch around all four sides of bottom.
18. Lastly, add a felt ball to center of each frosting dollop for a cute finishing touch! Add a dab of hot glue to felt ball and place in center of frosting piece. Apply gentle pressure to hold it in place for about one minute.
Ta-da! You’ve made a timeless and adorable Swiss roll that will be a beloved gift for any kid on your holiday list. Or keep it yourself and use it as part of your holiday decor!
Thanks to Laura for designing and writing this tutorial! You can follow her on Instagram @sonicstitches or visit her website. Stay tuned for more tutorials!
