How to Make a Christmas Tree Skirt

The tradition of using a skirt under Christmas trees has reduced
down to purposes that are more decorative, rather than for their
utility. In earlier times, before the invention of electric decorative
lights, candles were used to adorn the trees. The circular skirts were
kept under the trees to prevent the wax from falling directly on the
floor. These days, both ready made and handmade skirts are in vogue
that often includes some experimentation with the design. Handmade
skirts will allow you to personalize the pattern thematically, all the
while giving you the joy of preparing for your favorite festival.Steps
to create your own Christmas tree skirt:
� Planning: You cannot
reasonably begin without conceptualizing the look of your skirt.
Browse through magazines, books, newspapers, or the internet for the
pictures of different variety and pick up the one you like the best.
Decide upon the size of the skirt in terms of the radius of the
circle. This will affect the dimensions of your fabric.
� Material
Supplies:
- Fabric - cotton, silk, velvet, satin, felt, etc.
(according to preference you may consider a holiday style printed
cloth)
- A pair of scissors
- Suitable colored thread
- Needle or
sewing machine
- Holding pins
- Measuring tape or ruler
- Lining
(optional) - If the lining is not used, the main fabric should be
double the length, such that a double-layered mat can be created.
-
Lace, decorative trim, embroidered fabric patches, cording, beads,
fringe, etc. (optional)
� Construction:
- Step 1. Fold the lining
cloth into half along the width
- Step 2. Fold it along the length.
Pin the open sides to keep the cloth in place.
- Step 3. You have two
sides with four open layers. Leaving these, choose the corner, where
the other two sides, with one and two layers, meet.
- Step 4. Take the
ruler and mark a point from this corner at a distance equal to the
chosen radius.
- Step 5. Keep marking the points by rotating the
ruler a little at a time.
- Step 6. Join the dots to form the arc and
cut along it.
- Step 7. Make a very small circle by repeating Step 4
to Step 6. Its size should be according to the thickness of the trunk
of your Christmas tree.
- Step 8. Open the cloth to obtain a large
circle with a smaller one in the center.
- Step 9. Pin the circle to
the main fabric. If you have printed cloth, pin it upside down.
- Step
10. Sketch two parallel radii, at very small distance, and cut
along.
- Step 11. Stitch or sew along the circumference of the larger
circle, smaller circle, and the radii. Leave some portion unstitched
anywhere, preferable along one of the radii.
- Step 12. Use the
opening left in Step 11 to pull out the entire skirt inside out.
-
Step 13. Embellish it as per your choice.