Christmas in July - Christmas Tree Napkin Tutorial

Would you like to learn how to make these beautiful cloth Christmas Tree napkins? I've been working on a new tutorial on how to make them including the pattern!

Here is a closeup of the green stripped one:

And a closeup of the newest one with different fabric front and back (and folded the opposite direction - just make sure the set you make is all folded the same way) Also this one is folded a little looser with the edges not completely matching.

Unfolded.

Let's make the pattern!

You will need:
16" Pizza pan or a 16" Plate
Ruler
Scissors
Pen or Sharpie Marker
Freezer Paper 

Here is a list of the dimensions:

16" or a little less, across

10" deep

Tree Trunk -

2 1/4" at the top 

2" at the bottom 

1 1/4" long

Use the pizza pan to make the round portion of the pattern on the freezer paper. Love freezer paper patterns! If I had made the pattern 8" high, it would be exactly 16" wide, but since I wanted a larger napkin at 10" wide (finished 9 1/2"), it was slightly less. Three inches from the straight edge on one side, make the tree trunk (mine is 2 1/4" at the top, 2" at the bottom, and 1 1/4" long - you can make the trunk a custom size if you like). Then cut the pattern from the paper and mark the portion to leave open when you turn the napkin. I made mine 2 1/2" from edge at the same side as the tree trunk, about 2 1/2" long.  I made several copies of the pattern to iron on the fabric, to make sure that the layout would be correct before cutting. No pins are required when you use the freezer paper and iron to the fabric. And the good news is you can use the pattern over and over!

You will need one yard of 45" fabric to make four napkins with the same fabric on both sides, more is needed for stripped fabric or fabric with an obvious one way pattern. I recommend using 100% cotton fabric. If making napkins with different fabric on each side, then one yard of each will make eight napkins. Save time by arranging fabric right sides together before pressing the patterns to the fabric. 

Press the patterns to the fabric then cut them out.

Now sew around each using a quarter inch seam allowance leaving an opening to turn.

Notice how the seams are sewn at the corners - completely across to the edge. Clip at the top of the tree trunks as shown above.

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Press seams to the darkest fabric pressing the corners as shown below. 

For crisp corners fold as above and turn. Press again right side out.

A Link to a Free Printable for Christmas and a Free Printable from Maggie Mack Makes

The first thing I do for Christmas is change some of my pictures to Christmas themed pictures or use old Christmas cards. Here are a few ideas.

The printable above is available to download from the Graphics Fairy using this link: Swedish Santa from Graphics Fairy it is one of the Victorian Santa's on this link. I printed it out on card stock then...

Using the glitter glue, I highlighted just his beard.

It is very subtle but I really like it.

Next is this winter birdhouse that you can download the picture at the end of this post.

Again I printed the picture out on card stock and then I painted matte Mod Podge in the area that I wanted to glitter. While the Mod Podge was still wet I sprinkled a generous amount of iridescent glitter on it and I let it dry. 

A few years ago after an unusual snowfall in our area, I went out to the yard and took this picture of my snow covered birdhouse. I removed most of the background using photoshop. Here is the downloadable .jpg picture, 300DPI, for your own use (please), just right click on the picture and choose "Save picture as" to save to your computer or jump drive.

Hugs!

First Ever Christmas Post:

Oh Christmas time is here!

Usually I love to shop, but this year I think I will try to make it a completely home made Christmas and forego the shopping. I haven't done that in years, and it is quite the challenge. The decorating is also scaled back...I love the lights and tree and do dads, but I am not going quite so overboard in 2017.

I learned to tat two years ago and tatted sixteen of these star snowflake beauties. Gave most of them away as presents last year! This year I'm doing a different pattern and am planning to give most of them away again. It is so magical that just a simple knot can make something so beautiful.

The house is dressed in traditional colored lights.

The front door deck is decorated with my old sled and red wagon.

The stockings are ready and waiting for Santa.

Handmade coffee filter and Epson salt snowflakes are glistening in the sun.

And quietly falling on the windows.

Shortbread snowflake cookies are baked and ready to eat. YUM! Yes, I will have to make another batch before Christmas Eve. 

My very first quilt is ready to cuddle under with a mug of hot cocoa and a cookie. Then I think I'll settle down to a long winters nap! And just enjoy the sparkle of the season.