How to Create a Festive Gingerbread Tree Skirt: Step-by-Step Guide

STEP 1:  Hoop a piece of stabilizer.

STEP 2: Stitch the placement line for the batting.

STEP 3: Cover placement line with batting, making sure all sides are completely covered.

Stitch tack-down line.

Trim the batting as shown.

STEP 4: Use tack-down line of batting for placement of background fabric. 

Cover tack-down line with background fabric, making sure all sides are covered. 

Stitch tack-down line.

STEP 5: Next stitch the gingerbread motif.

STEP 6: Remove the block from the hoop. Trim away excess stabilizer. 

Trim the edges of the block so each side is 1/2” from the outer stitching line.

STEP 7: Repeat steps 1-6 until you have 15 inner blocks. Set aside.

STEP 8: Hoop a piece of stabilizer.

STEP 9: Load the design labeled Outer Block  Gumdrops, STITCH 8 

Stitch the placement line for the batting.

STEP 10: Cover placement line with batting, making sure all sides are completely covered. 

Stitch tack-down line. 

Trim the batting as shown. 

STEP 11: Use tack-down line of batting for placement of background fabric. 

Cover tack-down line with background fabric, making sure all sides are covered.

Stitch tack-down line.

STEP 12: Stitch quilt motif for the block.

STEP 13: Now complete the applique for this block.

STEP 14: The next few stitching steps are the satin stitches for this block.

STEP 15: Remove the block from the hoop. Trim away excess stabilizer.

Trim the edges of the block so each side is 1/2" from the outer stitching line.

STEP 16: Repeat steps 8–15 so you have 8 outer gumdrop blocks. Set aside.

STEP 17: Hoop a piece of stabilizer.

Load the design labeled Outer Block Gingerbread Peeker, STITCH 7.

STEP 18: Stitch the placement line for the batting.

STEP 19: Cover placement line with batting, making sure all sides are covered.

Stitch tack-down line.

Trim the batting as shown.

STEP 20: Use tack-down line of batting for placement of background fabric.

Cover tack-down line with background fabric, making sure all sides are covered.

Stitch tack-down line.

STEP 21: Stitch quilt motif for the block.

STEP 22: Now complete the applique for this block.

STEP 23: The next few stitching steps are the satin and decorative stitches for this block.

STEP 24: Remove the block from the hoop. Trim away excess stabilizer.

Trim the edges of the block so each side is 1/2" from the outer stitching line.

STEP 25: Repeat steps 17–24 so you have 7 outer Gingerbread Peeker blocks. Set aside.

STEP 26: Hoop a piece of stabilizer.

STEP 27: Load the designs labeled Middle Block Angel.

Stitch the placement line for the batting.

STEP 28: Cover placement line with batting, making sure all sides are covered.

Stitch tack-down line.

Trim the batting as shown.

STEP 29: Use tack-down line of batting for placement of background fabric.

Cover tack-down line with background fabric, making sure all sides are covered.

Stitch tack-down line.

STEP 30: Now complete the applique for this block.

STEP 31: The next few stitching steps are the satin and decorative stitches for this block.

STEP 32: Remove block from hoop. Trim away excess stabilizer. Trim the edges of the block so each side is 1/2" from the outer stitch line.

Repeat steps 26–32 for the remainer of your middle blocks.

STEP 33: You should have 15 total middle blocks.

STEP 34: You now have all of your blocks stitched. Decide how you want your skirt laid out, and lay it out as shown. You will be sewing the skirt together in 15 wedges. To keep it organized, pin together your wedges until they are sewn together.

STEP 35: Lay out your first wedge as shown.

STEP 36: We will start by sewing together the inner block and the middle block.

Flip the middle block up, right side down on inner block.

Pin or clip together.

STEP 37: Sew the blocks together, stitching just barely inside the outermost stitching line on the block.

Press open seam.

STEP 38: We will now attach the outer block to the previously sewn blocks.

Flip the outer block up, right side down on inner block.

Pin or clip together and sew. Press open seams.

STEP 39: Once all blocks are sewn together, your wedge should look as shown.

STEP 40: Repeat steps 36–38 to create all the wedges in the tree skirt.

We will now sew all the wedges together to form the top of the tree skirt.

Begin with the back right wedge and sew together counterclockwise until all 15 are sewn together.

STEP 41: Flip one wedge right side down on top of the other.

Pin or clip together and sew one side. Press seam open.

STEP 42: Repeat steps 40–41 for the remainder of the wedges until all wedges are sewn together and look as shown.

STEP 43: Cut your backing according to the sizing in the supply list.

Lay the backing fabric so the right side is up. Center the tree skirt on the backing, right side down, and make sure there is an opening in the backing and hole in the middle as shown.

Pin in place along the edges and in the center.

STEP 44: Sew the tree skirt to the backing, sewing just to the inside of the outermost stitch line.

Starting at the top of one side of the opening, sew all the way around the bottom and back up to the top of the other side of the tree skirt opening.

The only opening should be the middle small circle.

STEP 45: Once the tree skirt is sewn to the backing, trim the excess backing fabric as shown. It should mirror the tree skirt.

(Be sure to clip along the curved edges of the seam allowance to allow the edge of the skirt to lay flat once turned right side out.)

STEP 46: Turn the tree skirt right side out through the center opening.

Make sure to push out the corners and round out the outer blocks.

Press the seams flat.

STEP 47: Top stitch the edge of the tree skirt, starting at one side of the opening, all the way around to the other side.

STEP 48: Use the stitch-in-the-ditch method to sew each wedge's seam lines to the backing.

STEP 49: Place the bias tape on the center hole of the tree skirt, sandwiching the tree skirt between the two side of bias tape.

Pin or clip the bias tape to the tree skirt.

STEP 50: Sew the bias tape, about 1/8" from the edge of bias tape, to the tree skirt.

Congratulations! Your tree skirt is complete!