CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT

LEVEL: EASY

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Fabrics are from Basic Xmas range
• 70cm Fabric A - Santa Face, white
• 70cm Fabric B - Snowflake, red
• 70cm Fabric C - Spot, red
• 70cm Fabric D - Star, white
• 70cm Fabric E - Holly, red
• 70cm Fabric F - Star, red
• 60cm Fabric G - Candy Cane, white (binding)
• 2.8m Fabric H - Star, red or fabric of choice for backing
• 1.4m x 1.4m Cotton batting
• Matching Gutermann 100% cotton thread
• Rotary cutter, mat & quilters rulers
• Quilting pins, tape measure
• Scissors, seam ripper
• Hand needle
• Sewing machine with 1/4" foot & walking foot

Note: All fabrics should be 100% cotton, washed & pressed. 1/4" seam allowance used throughout unless otherwise indicated. Read all instructions carefully before commencing the project.

INSTRUCTIONS

CUTTING

• From each of Fabrics A, B, C, D, E & F cut 2 wedges lengthways down the fabric using template provided.
• From Fabric G cut 8 x 2 1/2" strips for binding.
• Cut Fabric H into 2 x 55" lengths, remove selvedge and sew together lengthways using 1/2" seam. Press seam open. Trim backing into a 55" square.

QUILT TOP

Step 1. Arrange the wedges in desired order. Decide on the placement of the opening.

Step 2. Starting at one edge of the opening, sew wedges together in pairs. Keeping order correct, sew pairs together making 3 sets of 4 and then sew the 3 sets together. Press seams in one direction around the circle.

Step 3. Layer the backing, batting and skirt top and baste together taking care not to pull skirt top out of alignment. Do not cut the backing but work with batting and backing in a square as this helps to stabilize the tree skirt. Quilt as desired. We quilted 1/4" on each side of the long seams and down the centre of each wedge.

Step 4. Trim excess batting and backing from around outside edge, down each side of the centre opening and around the inside circle.

Step 5. Join the 8 x 2 1/2" binding strips together on the bias to make one long strip. Press in half lengthwise

Step 6. Starting at the top of the left front edge sew binding down the front all the way around the edge and back up the right front edge. Trim off excess binding and set aside. Fold binding to the back and hand or machine sew in place.

Step 7. Take remaining binding and starting at the top right hand edge, leave a 15" tail and sew binding around top inside circle. Leaving a 15" tail trim off excess binding.
Fold ends in 1/4" and stitch across. Fold binding to the back and hand or machine sew in place. Fold tails in half and sew together to create ties.

Step 8. To make ties cut 4 x 15" lengths from remaining binding. Fold ends in 1/4" and sew. Sew to inside edge of binding - one 8" down from top and another a further 8" down. Sew remaining 2 to line up on opposite edge of the binding.