At Christmas time, our grandchildren each have a small Christmas tree that they can decorate and display in their room. By small, I mean about 18 inches high.
Our daughter asked if I could make them each a Christmas tree skirt. She wanted them to be interactive. So I came up with an interactive tree skirt just for kids. They can swap pieces between the characters on the skirt and make up some crazy combinations.
Here’s what I came up with.
Granddaughter’s favorite color is purple.
Grandson’s favorite color is blue.
The hats, antlers, and noses are all removable. They are attached with hook and loop dots so that they can be swapped around to make some really funny combinations!
Here are just a few of the funny characters they created.
Notice some of the tiny felt pieces sewn onto each character?
The snowman’s eyes are barely over 1/4″! The reindeer’s eyes are 1/4″ x 1/2″. Not easy to keep in place while I stitch them!
That brings me to my tip and tool for today. Water soluble basting tape.
This is Singer brand that I got at Hobby Lobby for $6. It’s 1/4 inch wide by 10 feet long.
I snipped off two tiny squares and pressed each against the back of the Santa eyes. Then, I peeled off the protective paper backing and pressed them in place on the traced face. I stitched the right one down and it stayed perfectly in place! And, neither the other eye, nor the hook-and-loop dot moved while I was stitching the first eye down!
Look closely at the eyes of the Santa on the purple tree skirt that I made last year. See how the eyes are not level? And one eyebrow is off, too? It was really difficult to hold those tiny pieces in just the right place while I sewed them! Really difficult!
Not this year, since I used the basting tape.
I sewed a hook-and-loop dot on this pair of antlers with ease after sticking the dot in place with the basting tape.
I am making a pattern for this interactive tree skirt so that you, too, can make some for the children in your life. It will be available this Friday, Nov. 22, 2019. I was just so excited about how well the basting tape worked, that I just couldn’t wait until then to tell you about it!
Today is a good day to gather supplies so that you’ll be ready this weekend to make some fun, interactive tree skirts.
Besides the pattern (available Friday, Nov. 22, 2019), all you need to make this quick, easy project is, assorted 2mm thick felt pieces, a small snap (appx. 8mm wide), two 12 +1/2″ circles of fabric, one 12 + 1/2″ circle of batting, threads to match your fabric and felt colors, fine-point permanent markers, and some water soluble basting tape.
Printing the pattern pieces out onto card stock makes pattern pieces that are easy to trace around.
I bought 9″x12″ felt pieces in 9 different colors for .79 cents each at Hobby Lobby. White and tan are what you will need the most of. You can easily get all of the white pattern pieces from one 9″x12″ felt sheet.
Happy creating!
Diane
Oh my goodness Diane, these are the best tree skirts ever! And thank you for the tip on the fusible…will have to look for that!
Aww, thanks, Monique! It was so much fun watching the grandkids giggle as they made the characters look as goofy as they could! It’s exactly why I made them. 🙂
Diane they are so cute. I’m sure your grandkids will have so much fun! Happy Holidays!Denise
Thank you! It’s fun to watch them play with them. And, may your holidays be merry and bright, as well!
Diane