How to Make Rag Christmas Tree Skirts
Making your own rag Christmas tree skirt gives you a use for old pieces of fabric and transforms them into a distinctive holiday decoration. Even stained fabric and fabric that doesn't correlate to your color scheme can be worked into the bottom layer of the Christmas tree skirt, where they will not be seen. A rag Christmas tree skirt will become a functional as well as a festive decoration in your home, as it catches the pine needles that fall from the tree while adding a splash of holiday color. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Pieces of fabric
- Needle and thread or sewing machine
- Measuring tape
- Cardboard
- Chalk
- Scissors
- Batting
- Yarn
Instructions
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1
Make a grid out of cardboard to match the intended size and shape of the Christmas tree skirt when fanned out. Within the grid, mark off equal-sized areas to represent the pieces of fabric that will be sewn together to make the skirt. It's easiest to work with fan-shaped sections that gradually widen and are rounded toward the bottom and, when sewn together, will create a round skirt. Be sure to allow for a hole in the middle for the tree trunk.
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2
Cut a piece of cardboard to act as a pattern for your fabric rags. The cardboard should be the uniform size, as determined by your grid, that all fabric pieces will be cut to.
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3
Use chalk to trace the cardboard pattern onto each piece of fabric that you will cut and use for the top (visible) layer of the Christmas tree skirt. Cut out the pieces of fabric.
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4
Choose the fabric that will form the underlayer of the skirt. This can be a one large piece, such as an old sheet or blanket, that will be cut to the shape of the entire tree skirt, or you can use an array of separate small pieces cut to match the grid as you did with the top layer.
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5
Gather batting or similar filler material to form the middle layer of your tree skirt. As with the underlayer, this can be one large piece or smaller pieces cut to fit the grid.
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6
Lay out the bottom layer on top of the grid. If sewing together pieces of fabric for the bottom layer, pin the pieces together. Do the same for the batting layer, then lay the pieces of the top layer on top of the batting.
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7
Pin together all sections of the top layer, then pin the layers to each other, making sure that all pieces of fabric line up completely.
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8
Sew the different sections of rags together, making sure that you are sewing through all three layers.
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9
Fold the bottom layer up and over the batting and top layer, creating roughly a 1-inch fold. Stuff the batting and top layer underneath the fold so that it's not visible, then sew the fold around the entire outer edge to secure it in place and create the outside hem.
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10
Sew around the inner circle to finish the edge of the circular opening in the center of your rag Christmas tree skirt.
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Tips & Warnings
Be sure to take measurements of how large you want the tree skirt to be when fanned out and how large you want the opening to be before you begin constructing your grid.
Use yarn around the outer folded edge for a thick and traditional look.
