How to Make a Western-Theme Christmas Tree Skirt

If "Home on the Range" is your Christmas theme, skip the traditional red or green flannel and hide your tree stand and extension cords with a skirt that hollers "Howdy, Pardner!" to your tree.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cowboy Boots
• Christmas Tree Lights
• Acrylic Paints
• Fabric Pencils
• Measuring Tapes
• Paint Trays
• Sewing Machine
• Sewing Supplies
• Acrylic Paints
• Scissors
• Scissors
• Bob Wills CD
• Paint trays
• western-theme fabrics and fringe, if desired

Cut the Fabric into Four Quarter Circles

1. Fold the fabric in half lengthwise, and then in half again to make four layers. (You'll have a perfect square - each side 45 inches - four layers thick.) Cut along the folds to create four equal squares; leave them stacked.

2. Hold a tape measure with your left hand at the bottom left corner of the stack, pull it out with your right hand to measure 45 inches to the bottom right corner, and make an arc by moving your right hand gradually to the top left corner of the fabric (stop and mark every few inches with a fabric pencil); this will define a quarter circle. If you're left-handed, reverse these directions.

3. Cut along the curve you've just marked to create the outside edge of your tree skirt.

4. Measure 3 1/2 inches in from the bottom left corner and repeat the arcing and marking step to create a much smaller quarter circle.

5. Cut along the smaller arc to create the cutout for the tree trunk.

Sew and Narrow-hem the Skirt

6. Take two quarter-circle pieces and place them together with right sides in, matching the small and large arcs.

7. Pin along one straight edge and sew, using a sewing machine.

8. Open out - you'll have a half circle.

9. Pin one straight edge of each remaining quarter circle to either side of the half circle, right sides together, and sew, using a sewing machine.

10. Open out - you'll have a full circle with a circular opening in the middle and a slit all the way through it - like a cape.

11. Narrow-hem the inner hole, the two long edges that form the opening of the skirt, and the outer edge. To do this, turn over 1/4 inch of fabric along the area you are hemming and press, turn over another 1/4 inch and press again, then machine stitch.

Choose the Fabric

12. Select a fabric: a western theme (think covered wagons, cowboys, Indians, cattle, chile con carne recipes and cacti) is the obvious choice, but for a quieter look consider a solid color that you can decorate. Contrasting fringe is very western, but probably not a good idea if you have cats!

13. Buy 5 yards of fabric. For simplicity, try to get fabric that is 45 inches wide. This will give you a tree skirt just under 90 inches in diameter after hemming - big enough for just about any tree. If you want a contrasting trim, buy 15 yards (it sounds like a lot, but trims vary significantly in price).

Tips & Warnings

• Here's an idea for decorating your skirt: Put on your cowboy boots. Put on a Bob Wills CD. Pour some acrylic paint into a tray. Step in the paint, then two-step your way across the tree skirt.
• Another idea: Stencil or rubber stamp cacti and buffalo around the edge. Or tack a long string of chile Christmas tree lights to the edge of the tree skirt, using thread to loop around the cord.