Making a custom tree skirt to fit your aesthetic is easier than you think. All you need is some felt yardage and any embellishments you'd like to add! I made one using some tinsel in my stash and hand-stitched it around the edge to add some more sparkle to our tree top table. This little corner is all metallics and neutrals so I stuck with a simple skirt.
1. Fold your square of felt to make a large triangle as shown. 2. Fold again as shown. 3. Tie a ribbon to a pen and place the pen in the center of the longest edge. Hold down the other end of the ribbon at the point on the opposite side as shown. Carefully move your pen up and down without letting go of the top of the ribbon. This will give you a true circle when you cut and unfold. 4. Cut along your marked line as well as about 1/2" down from the top to fit around the trunk. If your tree and skirt are standard sized, you'll just make it a bit larger. 5. Unfold it once and cut along one folded edge. 6. Stitch tinsel along the edge.
Other fun options would be to add pom-poms, cut scallops, add hand-cut letters to spell something festive, etc. If your felt is wrinkled, set your iron on medium heat and place a tea towel or shirt on top of your felt before ironing. It will melt if you iron it directly so be careful.
For a standard sized tree I used one yard of felt yardage. For the smaller tree (3') I used about 18" x 18". Always cut larger if you're not sure what size is the best for your tree so you can cut it down to size without wasting material. Fabric glue that dries clear is another great resource for adding felt embellishments to your skirt.
I spent about $2.50 on this project and I love the vintage look it lends. It's a great project to finish in less than an hour. It'd be a great project to let little ones customize with pre-cut felt, pom-poms, cotton balls, or ric-rac!
My next tree skirt was directly inspired by a vintage skirt I found on Etsy that sold while it was in my favorites. Since it wasn't a new handmade skirt someone was selling I decided it'd be okay to reproduce something similar myself. I used the same technique as above to create the skirt and then hand-cut the stars in two sizes from felt squares. I attached them with fabric glue although it'd look sweet if it were embroidered on as well.
Our old tree skirt was hot pink and scalloped but it was time for something different. I love that this kind of project is inexpensive enough to change out when you're ready but special enough to keep through the years. If you make your own I'd love to see photos!
Enjoy!
-Rachel
