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Quilted Velvet Christmas Tree Skirt with Video Tutorial

By: Christian Tamez

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Learn how to make a quilted velvet Christmas tree skirt with this video tutorial from Christian Tamez. Download, print, and assemble the tree skirt pattern pieces to create your own tree skirt just like Christian's. Embroider one piece of the velvet top with your family name to personalize this Christmas tree skirt.

Quilted Velvet Christmas Tree Skirt
Quilted Velvet Christmas Tree Skirt

Project Type: Make a Project

Time to complete: Weekend project

Primary Technique: Whole Cloth

Difficulty Level: Easy

MATERIALS:

  • Pattern Piece A
  • Pattern Piece B
  • Pattern Piece C
  • Pattern Piece D
  • Pattern Piece E
  • Pattern Assembly Diagram
  • 1.5 Yards of Velvet measuring 45 inches in width
  • 1.5 Yards of a Christmas Holiday print fabric
  • White cotton thread
  • 6 yards of 1" double fold bias tape
  • A walking foot with a quilting guide is ideal for this project
  • A serger capable of a four thread overlock stitch (If you don’t have a serger, you can overcast the edges)
  • Temporary adhesive spray for sewing purposes - look for something that won’t leave a residue on your needle


INSTRUCTIONS:

Part 1:
 

  1. Putting together the pattern for this is easy; simply print out all the pieces, cut around the outlines, and match up the numbered lines. It’s helpful to tape or glue the pattern together on a piece of poster board. Once you’ve assembled the pattern and cut it out, you’re ready for the fabric.
     
  2. Using velvet that is at least 45 inches in width, fold it in half lengthwise. Secure the edges with a pin every few inches just to make sure the fabric doesn't move when you’re cutting out your pattern. Lay the pattern down so that the bottom scallop is closest to the folded edge, and make sure that fabric is still lined up so that you’ll be cutting two complete pieces. Using a rotary cutter, cut the velvet according to the pattern. Then for the next cut, alternate the pattern so that the scalloped edge is now closest to the two ends of the folded fabric and now the point is facing towards you. This is to make the best use of your velvet, and as you go along and continue cutting, keep alternating the pattern.
     
  3. For the cotton underside, if you find a quilting cotton that measures 45 inches in width, cut it the same as you would for the velvet. If you can only find quilting cottons that measure 43 inches, make sure you find a print that doesn’t have any one set direction. You want something that has designs going every which way, so that way you can cut out your fabric any which way and the bottom will still look the same. Make sure your cotton is pressed and simply squeeze in the pattern at least 8 times with your yard and a half of fabric (this will be easy because this measurement includes a little extra “safety” fabric).
     
  4. Once you’ve got all your pieces cut out, it’s time to stick them together with some temporary fabric adhesive spray. Laying the velvet down so that the textured pill as away from you, spray fabric adhesive all over the backside. Taking the cotton, line up the scallop at the top and lay the fabric down, matching it as you go. Look for an adhesive spray that is repositionable and that won’t “gum up” your needle. You don’t want any residue from the spray coating your needle. Make sure to trim away any excess cotton that shows when you flip over your piece and you’re looking down at the velvet.

 




Part 2:

  1. Equip your sewing machine with a walking foot, and sew up the straight sides of your piece with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Then, using a quilting guide set at 1" channel stitch, quilt across the front of the pattern so that you’ll have lines every inch. Once you have sewn lines going all one way, repeat the same steps, using your other line of stitching as a guide, so that in the end you’ll end up with a 1" diamond grid all across your pattern piece. Do this to each of your eight pieces, so that each one ends up being quilted.
     
  2. Once you’ve quilted all the pieces, it’s time to construct the skirt. Take two of the finished quilted scallops and put them velvet sides together. Line up the straight edges and secure one of the sides with pins. Sew the pieces together with a 1/2-inch seam allowance. Once you’ve sewn the edge, open up the pieces and repeat with each free end of the pattern pieces until you have them all sewn in a row. Remember that you don’t want to completely close the skirt; you want to be able to have a place to insert the tree.    
     
  3. On the underside of the skirt at each of the 7 straight seams joining the two pieces, you’ll either want to serge or overcast the edges to clean them up. If you’re using a serger, a four thread overlock stitch is the ideal stitch. It’s even a nice idea to thread the loopers with decorative metallic thread if you choose.

 




Part 3:

  1. Use double fold bias tape to secure and finish the raw edges of the tree skirt. Start by unfolding the bias tape all the way to reveal each of the three fold lines. Take one of the raw edges and pin it to the edge of the velvet tree skirt, making sure to give yourself 3 or 4 inches of free binding at the beginning. At each of the scallops or edges, make sure that you give yourself extra bias binding to keep the edges lined up when you’re pinning.
     
  2. Once you’ve pinned the bias binding all the way around the tree skirt, sew down the binding with a 7/8" seam allowance, or just to the right of the fold line of the bias tape. Continue sewing until you come to within about 6" of the beginning of the bias tape, where you had left some extra to work with. Unfold completely the two ends of bias binding. Take one of the ends and fold it into a right angle, simply by pulling down one of the edges onto the other. Pin the binding with the right angle end to the edge of the tree skirt, treating it now as if it were just regular binding. Pin to the end of the piece of bias tape. Now pin down the other end of bias tape right on top of this one.  Make sure that you overlay the bias tape that hasn’t been folded into a triangle on top of the binding that has and pin in place. Sew this down with the 7/8" seam allowance, or just to the right of the fold lines of the bias tape.
     
  3. Once you’ve sewn all around, fold the bias binding over the edge of the tree skirt and back so that you don’t see the raw edge of the bias tape. Pin this in place along the top side of the tree skirt. Make sure to pin neatly, and check to make sure you’re happy with how the bias tape is laying. Now is the time to do any little adjustments. Sew down the bias tape along the inner edge with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Sew slowly and neatly as this is the top of the skirt. Making sure to secure the beginning and ending of your stitching with either a lock stitch or some backstitching.
     
  4. Trim all your thread ends, and wrap it around a tree!

     

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