Beaded Acorn Ornament — A Little Autumn Treasure

Autumn is the season of small treasures: fallen leaves, pinecones, and acorns. This beaded acorn captures that feeling in felt, sequins, and pearls. The cap is soft and earthy, the body shimmers like a tiny armored shell, and the whole piece hangs quietly in a dark wooden hoop.

Round embroidery hoop with dark frame
Brown felt (for background)
White paper (for template)
Pencil and scissors
Polyester stuffing
Embroidery floss — dark brown
Alcohol-based brown marker
Cream / ivory flat sequins
Embroidery needle and matching thread
Large dark pearls / beads
Small dark seed beads / crystals

01 — Prepare the Hoop and Felt

Step 01 — A round dark wooden embroidery hoop backed with brown felt

Stretch a piece of brown felt tightly inside a round embroidery hoop. The felt will be both the background and the base fabric for the acorn.

02 — Draw the Acorn Template

Step 02 — Hands tracing an acorn shape onto a small piece of white paper

Fold a small piece of paper and draw half of an acorn shape so that when you cut it open, both sides are symmetrical.

03 — Cut the Template

Step 03 — The folded paper template being cut along the drawn line

Cut carefully along the drawn line. Open the paper to reveal the full acorn template.

04 — Template Ready

Step 04 — The opened paper acorn template held above the hoop

Hold the template against the felt to check the size and placement. The acorn should sit comfortably in the center of the hoop with room around it.

05 — Place the Template on the Felt

Step 05 — The paper template laid on the brown felt inside the hoop

Lay the template flat on the felt. You can pin it lightly or hold it steady with your fingers.

06 — Trace the Acorn Outline

Step 06 — A hand tracing around the paper template with a marker

Trace the acorn shape onto the felt with a fine pen or marker. Mark a horizontal line where the cap meets the body.

07 — Prepare the Stuffing

Step 07 — A small tuft of white polyester stuffing held between fingers

Take a small amount of polyester stuffing. You only need enough to give the acorn a gentle, rounded volume.

08 — Fill the Acorn Shape

Step 08 — Stuffing being inserted between layers of felt to shape the acorn

Lift the top layer of felt slightly and tuck the stuffing underneath, shaping it into the rounded acorn body. Keep the surface smooth.

09 — Stitch the Stem

Step 09 — Dark brown embroidery floss worked into a short stem at the top of the acorn

Use dark brown floss to stitch a short stem at the top of the acorn. Simple straight stitches gathered together will give it a woody look.

10 — Choose a Brown Marker

Step 10 — A hand selecting a dark brown alcohol marker from a colorful marker set

Choose a dark brown alcohol-based marker. The ink should be permanent and slightly translucent so it soaks into the felt rather than sitting on top.

11 — Color the Cap

Step 11 — The top cap of the acorn being colored with the brown marker

Color the cap area carefully with the brown marker. Work in small circles to build up an even, textured tone.

12 — The Colored Cap

Step 12 — The acorn cap fully colored in dark brown, with the body still left plain

Let the ink dry completely. The cap should now look rich and earthy against the lighter felt body.

13 — Begin the Sequin Body

Step 13 — Cream sequins being stitched in overlapping rows across the lower acorn body

Thread a needle with fine matching thread and begin sewing cream sequins onto the body in overlapping rows, starting from the cap line and working downward.

14 — Complete the Sequin Body

Step 14 — The lower acorn fully covered in overlapping cream sequins

Continue until the entire body is covered. Each sequin should overlap the one below it like fish scales, creating a smooth, shimmering surface.

15 — Add Large Pearls

Step 15 — Large dark pearls being placed along the edge where the cap meets the sequined body

Sew a few large dark pearls along the cap line. They act as both decoration and a transition between the matte cap and shiny body.

16 — Fill In with Smaller Beads

Step 16 — Smaller dark beads and crystals added around the pearls to complete the cap edge

Fill the gaps around the pearls with smaller dark seed beads and crystals. The more varied the beads, the richer the cap will look.

17 — Detail View

Step 17 — Close-up of the finished acorn showing the beaded cap and sequin scales

Take a moment to check all the beads are secure and the sequin rows are even. Adjust any loose threads before finishing.

18 — The Finished Acorn Ornament

Step 18 — The completed acorn ornament hanging in its dark wooden hoop

Hang the hoop or prop it on a shelf. The acorn is small, but the mix of textures — fuzzy felt, glossy beads, and satin sequins — makes it feel like a real autumn keepsake.

If you do not have alcohol markers, fabric paint watered down slightly works too.
Sew sequins with a tiny seed bead in the center of each one to keep them flat and aligned.
Stuff the acorn gently; too much filling will make the shape bulge unevenly.

Happy stitching — may your autumn be full of tiny treasures.