Christmas Tree Skirt!

Guess what I did this weekend?

I sewed a Christmas Tree Skirt! I happen to be the luckiest crafter ever because my LYS (Local Yarn Shop) and LFS (Local Fabric Shop) are two doors down from one another. After work on Friday I stopped over at my LFS, Flying Geese. I definitely knew that I wanted to make tree skirt, but I was totally clueless as to the fabrics I wanted to use. Then, I found this pretty Moda fabric:

I fell in love with it immediately. I am not sure if you can tell from the picture, but the flower pattern is almost pixelated. Another good way to describe it is like pointillism; the pattern is made from little square dots. It is perfect. 

When planning the tree skirt, I did know that I wanted to make it double-sided. I found this fabric for the other side:

It is VERY Christmassy, and I love it. 


Then I was thinking about the edging, and Mardi at my LFS suggested using some type of decorative edging from Calico Corner's or JoAnn's. So I hopped on over to Calico Corners and found some bauble-type edging that screams Christmas to me. Here is the completed pallette:

I forgot to take pictures at the beginning of the process. It just completely slipped my mind, so forgive me. He are some progress pictures:

(I cut out the circle to about 44 inches in diameter and sewed the bauble-y edging with BAUBLES IN facing the RIGHT SIDE of the fabric)

(Pin much?)

 (At first I thought my free motion foot would be the easiest to use when navigating the edging, after more stitching I realized that the walking foot worked really well too)

 (close-up)

(Finished sewing the edging on)

 (Then I cut the same 44 inch diameter circle from the reversible-side fabric and the batting. For the batting I used the thinnest 100% cotton batting possible)

(Then I had to pin together all 3 layers. The sandwich you see about is 1) Moda fabric RIGHT SIDE down, 2) Reversible-side fabric RIGHT SIDE UP, 3) backing. The difficult task was making sure that I didn't catch the bauble part of the edging in the stitching. After this portion was stitched all the way around, I cut a slit up the about 19 or so inches, just the radius of the fabric. And then cut around a circle that I had marked out in the beginning. Then I flipped the tree inside-out and had the right sides facing correctly.)

 (I wish I had taken better progress pictures, but I didn't. This is a picture of me stitching up the cut going the radius of the fabric. I just folding the edges in and stitched right on top of the fabric using white thread in the bobbin and the needle. I also slid in white twill tape to act as the ties holding the skirt together)

 (Sewing the inner circle of the skirt)

 (FINISHED!)

(Completely finished skirt!)

I love how the skirt came out. It was pretty challenging, as I am new to sewing with curves and I have never used edgings before. In retrospect, I don't think I would change anything. I originally wanted to quilt the skirt, but I wasn't sure how to factor that into the pattern. Maybe next time!

I have a TON of leftover fabric and I hope to make Christmas stockings.

If anyone is interested in me creating a real tutorial, let me know and I will be happy to!

xoxo

P.S. that is item #2 off my bucket list!