Best-Dressed Trees

Materials:
kraft paper or newspaper
pencil
heavy flannel fabric
iron-on poodle applique
belt buckle
6" to 8" length of 1" wide ribbon
1/2" wide ribbon or bias tape
hot glue

Steps:

1. Make a circle pattern with kraft or newspaper that represents the size of the finished skirt. The featured one is 42 inches in diameter.

2. Pin the circle pattern to the flannel fabric and cut, rendering a circle of fabric.

3. Cut one straight diagonal line from the edge of the fabric to the center to create the split in the skirt.

4. Make a three-inch cut that diagonally intersects the cut made in step 3. This space will accommodate the tree trunk.

5. Hem the raw edges of the skirt if desired. Ours isn't hemmed.

6. Position the poodle applique oppositely the long cut made in step 3, and fuse or glue in place.

7. For the poodle leash, position or ribbon under the poodle's collar and swirl it around the skirt, gluing it in place as you go. If desired, twist the ribbon to make turns or loops in the design. Make the leash simple or elaborate as desired.

8. Embellish with holiday-themed charms, etc. The holly charms seen here are Details Eyelet Charms. See resource information below. The berries and bow are cut from a small piece of the leash ribbon.

9. Lace the six-inch length of one-inch ribbon though the belt buckle creating a tree "belt." Adjust so the belt will fit the tree trunk. Place the skirt on the tree and secure it at the center with the belt.

Materials:
2 yds. of red bridal satin
white monogram letter, purchased from fabric store
sewing pins
white plastic belt buckle purchased from fabric store
6" to 8" length of 1" wide red velvet ribbon
sewing machine

Steps:

1. Hem raw edges of the satin fabric.

2. Drape the hemmed satin around base of the tree.

3. Place monogram letter on the satin and pin in place. If you want it to be permanent, press the monogram in place.

4. Lace ribbon though the belt buckle creating a tree "belt." Adjust the ribbon as necessary so the belt fits snugly around the tree trunk. Draw the satin up around the tree trunk and secure with the belt.

Materials:
2 yds. of red bridal satin
1/2 yd. faux fur
fray check--use on all cut fabric or sew a hem instead
hot-glue gun and glue sticks
scissors
kraft paper or newspaper

Steps:

1. Make a circle pattern with kraft or newspaper. This represents the size of the finished skirt. The featured one is 42 inches in diameter.

2. Cut the satin with the pattern.

3. Cut a skinny "wedge" out of the circle of satin measuring approximately two inches wide at the outer edge, ending in a point at the center of the skirt. Cut a two-inch diameter circle at the center point of the skirt.

4. Cut the faux fur trim in four-inch wide, eight- to 12-inch lengths and glue around the bottom of the cape. Trim as you go to keep the fur even.

5. Cut two fur pieces to drape along the sides of the area at the wedge cutout. Glue them in place.

6. Cut two five-inch circles of faux fur. Fold each circle in half and cut a two-inch diameter circle from the center, leaving a doughnut shape. Set one aside to make pompons. Use the second doughnut shape to create the collar at the center of the skirt, positioning it over the hole and edges of the trim placed in step 5. Open the up the shape by trimming it to match the wedge. Don't glue at this point.

7. To make the ties for the cape, cut another piece of satin measuring one-inch wide and a yard long. Fold up the raw edges and stitch. Cut the piece in half then knot each length on one end.

8. Make pompons using the doughnut shape cut in step 6. To do this, cut the doughnut in half. Roll each half on a tie made in step 7 and glue to secure.

9. Position the untied ends of the ties under the collar of the cape and glue everything down to secure.

Materials:
15 to 20 assorted fat quarter cuts of fabric - number depends on how much color variety you want in the skirt
yard of rolled batting
yard of muslin of other fabric for backing
scissors
rotary cutter and mat (optional)
sewing machine
42" circle pattern cut from kraft paper or newspaper
jute twine
14 buttons
needle and thread

Steps:

1. Prewash and dry, then cut the fat quarter fabrics into five-inch wide strips.

2. Layer two strips, right sides out, and stitch on one of the long sides. The raw seams should be on the right side of the fabric. Match a second strip and stitch it onto the others in the same manner. Continue until you have a long panel of fabric.

3. Cut the panel into four- to five-inch strips by making cuts that intersect seams.

4. Stitch the multiblock strips together, fashioning a large, pieced block panel of fabric.

5. Make a circle pattern using kraft or newspaper. This represents the size of the finished skirt. The featured one is 42 inches in diameter.

6. Pin the circle pattern to the pieced fabric panel and cut, rendering a circle of patchwork fabric. Repeat for muslin and batting.

7. Position patchwork circle right side up. Layer the muslin circle on top of that, then layer on the batting circle. Stitch the perimeter of the fabric and batting layers as if making a pillow, leaving a five-inch space for turning.

8. Turn the patchwork fabric panel right side out. This should render the batting sandwiched inside the skirt with the patchwork on one side and the muslin on the other. Stitch opening.

9. Cut one straight diagonal line from the edge of the fabric to the center to create the split in the skirt.

10. Make a three-inch cut that diagonally intersects the cut made in the last step. Stitch on either side of the cuts, leaving the seams exposed.

11. Quilt as desired. The featured quilt has red-thread stars quilted on all the light-colored patches. It would be a good idea to quilt along the vertical seams of each block as well if you plan to keep the skirt around year after year.

12. Fray the exposed seams of the skirt using sharp, micro-tip scissors.

13. Starting at the inside opening of the skirt, stitch a button on either side of the split. Continue stitching buttons in this manner, spacing them evenly from the top edge to the bottom edge of the skirt. To close the skirt, lace jute twine or raffia around the buttons in crisscross corset style, from the bottom to the top, finishing with a bow to complete cozy country look.
    

Materials:
fabric glue
kraft paper or newspaper for pattern
scissors
yard of white felt
yard of sky blue felt
8" felt squares in assorted colors
Steps:

1. Make a circle template with kraft paper or newspaper. This represents the size of the finished skirt. The featured one is 42 inches in diameter.

2. Pin the circle template to the blue fabric and cut, rendering a circle of fabric.

3. Draw "snow" on the pattern. Do this by drawing a wavy, continuous line around the middle of the circle template. Cut out sections of white felt using the snow area of the pattern as a guide. The wavy shapes will resemble snow banks. Position the white felt sections in place on the blue felt circle, lining up the out edges of the snow pieces with the outside perimeter of the blue circle. Glue to secure.

4. Cut one straight diagonal line from the edge of the skirt to the center, creating the split in the skirt.

5. Make a three-inch cut that diagonally intersects the cut made in the last step. This space will accomodate the tree trunk.

6. Print out patterns pieces and cut out felt pieces for snow folks, Santa with his sleigh and reindeer, trees, penguins, moon, etc. See five PDF patterns to the right. Cut two of each reindeer, two trees, two snow men and six penguins to make the skirt as shown. Cut straight and slightly curved short strips from scrap black felt to link Santa and reindeers together (not pictured in pattern).

7. Position figures as show or as desired then glue in place.

8. Embellish by cutting tiny bits of white felt "snowflakes," dropping them randomly onto the blue sky. Glue each in place or, if you're not planning to wash the skirt (washing is not recommended), you can use a light mist of spray adhesive to cement the flakes.