I will be hanging this ornament on my parents Christmas tree, and waiting to see if anyone notices. This is a beautiful body-positive craft. And yes, I do really mean beautiful. Vaginas are so much more of a mystery to many than the external and very visible male genitalia, and I think it is fun to create something that draws attention to the grace and exquisite unfurling of these lady parts. When I learned in school to do the female pelvic exam -- which involves examination of the female parts and a speculum exam -- it was the first time I had ever had the chance to unabashedly look at a woman’s vulva (the external part, versus the vagina, which is the internal canal). It was truly a profound experience for me. I realized how gorgeous our lady parts really are. Not something to be embarrassed of, but the powerful and sacred source of pleasure and of life. So you can think of this DIY as an ode and celebration!

Materials required:

Multiple shades of pink felt
A few other shades of felt (red, blue, green, whatever you like)
Glue gun
Sewing needles
Embroidery floss (basically a thick type of thread)
Beads or bells to use as clitorises
Fur or fuzzy material to use as hair
Any other decorations you would like (sequins, more beads, piercings)
Scissors

Directions:

First of all, you can’t really go wrong – feel free to be creative and make your vulva exactly as you like. Just as there is huge anatomical variation from one woman to another, craft-vulva variations are welcome. If you don’t have all the right materials, you can make do with what you have. The instructions that follow give you a general idea of what to do, but are no means prescriptive.

Start by making the outer labia (aka the outer lips) of your vulva. Cut out an approximately lemon-shaped oval from your pink felt. Cut a line down the middle to create an opening.

Next create the inner labia by cutting a slightly smaller lemon-shaped oval, perhaps from a different shade of felt. Again, cut a line down the middle to create an opening.

Cut a third, smaller lemon-shaped oval, which will be the background in the inside of the lips.

Place all three layers on top of each other, from smallest to largest. Shape them so that they are slightly open and have a somewhat three-dimensional shape. If you like, tuck the middle edges of the labia under and glue them down. Use the glue gun to attach the three layers.

Cut an oval shaped piece, larger than your vulva, from another colour of felt. Glue your vulva to this piece as a background.

Decorate your vulva as desired! Use needle and thread to sew a border, add fur as pubic hair, add a bell or bead as a clitoris. Make it realistic, or not at all!

This is a craft is an easy project and an excuse to hang out and get comfortable with vulvas. I think it is best done in a group - the conversation that will come up as you sit around, sewing your own vulvas, will likely range from hilarious puns to very thought provoking. An unusual Christmas craft, perhaps, but a meaningful, playful, and slightly subversive one.

A big thank you to my friend Lana and her housemates Fiona and Dave for hosting the party that inspired this post!