How to make a christmas tree skirt

1. Materials & tools

Materials (for a 150 cm tree (110 cm diameter))

• Outer fabric (cotton print, felt or velvet) — about 110 cm wide × 130 cm
• Lining fabric — the same amount
• Wide bias tape for binding — about 400 cm
• Optional: hook-and-loop tape or snaps to close the slit — 3 sets

Tools

• Sewing machine (or needle and thread)
• Fabric marker or pencil
• Ruler and scissors
• Iron
• Pins or clips

2. Make the pattern (auto-generated in Katagami)

With the Katagami pattern tool, you just enter the finished size and it drafts a seam-allowance-included pattern, tiled to print at actual size on Letter or A4.

1. Open the tool
   Open the pattern tool and choose “Home” → “Christmas tree skirt” from the tabs at the top.
2. Enter the size
   Enter the finished diameter and the diameter of the center hole. Presets cover 120 cm, 150 cm and 180 cm trees.
3. Set the seam allowance
   Use the slider at the bottom (beginners: 1.0–1.5 cm / about 3/8–5/8 in).
4. Print
   Press “Print (actual size)”, then in the print dialog set Scale = 100% and turn “Fit to page” OFF. Check the 50 mm calibration box on the first guide sheet with a ruler.

3. Cutting the fabric

1. Measure the tree
   Measure the diameter of the stand and how far the lowest branches reach. The skirt should sit just inside the tips of those branches.
2. Trace the pattern
   Trace the quarter panel. Both the outer and the inner edge are arcs.
3. Cut the pieces
   Cut 4 in the outer and 4 in the lining. With a directional print, make sure all four panels face the same way.
4. Finish the edges
   Not needed — the edges are bound with bias tape.

4. Sewing

4-1. Join the outer panels

1. Place the outer quarter panels right sides together and sew them along the straight radial edges.
2. Sew only three seams. Leave the fourth open — that is the slit.
3. Press the seam allowances open. All four seams converge at the center, so trim the allowances short there to reduce the bulk.

4-2. Join the lining the same way

1. Sew the four lining panels along the same three seams.
2. Check that the open seam is in the same position on both layers, or they will not line up.

4-3. Layer outer and lining

1. Place outer and lining wrong sides together and baste around the edges. You could sew them right sides together and turn, but at this size turning is a struggle — layering and binding is more reliable.
2. Pin the center hole, then the two edges of the slit, then the outer edge, matching as you go.

4-4. Bind the edges

1. Bind with bias tape in this order: the center hole, the two slit edges, then the outer edge.
2. The outer edge is long. Ease the tape along the fabric rather than pulling it — pulled tape makes the finished edge cup upwards.
3. Add three sets of hook-and-loop tape or snaps along the slit so it closes once it is around the trunk.

✏️ Do not pull the bias tape as you bind the outer edge. A circular edge travels slightly further than a straight one, and tape stretched along it pulls the rim up so the skirt will not lie flat on the floor.

5. Tips & variations

• Non-slip lining: on a wooden floor, a non-slip backing keeps it from wandering.
• Quilt it: batting between the layers with a grid of quilting lifts the whole thing visually.
• A round mat the rest of the year: close the slit and it is simply a circular mat, so it need not go back in the box.