Don’t you love setting out all your holiday decorations?  As you unwrap each item, memories seem to come flooding back, making the holiday season even more special. However, it just seems like plain old work when it’s time to put everything away.  Wouldn’t it be nice if some decorations could be left out throughout the entire winter?  Well, with these country pine tree holiday decorations, you can do just that.

Materials List:

• Styrofoam cones in an assortment of sizes
• 100% cotton fabrics in homespun plaids and calico prints
• Straight pins
• Scissors

Instructions:

1. To begin, you need strips of fabric that measure 2 ½ inches wide.  Fold the fabric over several times and cut the strips quickly and as closely to 2 ½” without a lot of measuring or worrying about it. A 12” cone tree requires about 5 strips of fabric.
2. Country pine trees require frayed edges to give them a lot of texture.  To get the frayed edges, cut into the long edge of the strip about 1 ½ – 2 inches.  Repeat this every ½ inch.
3. Once all strips have been clipped, run them under hot water and wring them out.  Throw them into the dryer for about fifteen minutes.  When they come out of the dryer, expect a twisted, tangle of strips.  The good news is that it will take you longer to untangle the strips than it will to complete the rest of the project.
4. Beginning at the lower edge of a Styrofoam cone, use a straight pin to hold your strip in place. Wrap the strip around the cone, pinning every few inches or so and overlapping as necessary to cover the cone. When you reach the end of a strip, use a straight pin to secure both that strip and the new strip, and continue wrapping.  Continue wrapping until you have extended just beyond the top of the cone.  Overlap the fabric and pin in place to cover the top.  Cut off any excess.

To complete your little forest, cut foam to fit an oblong container.  Push dowels into the base of the trees and insert into the floral foam.  Add a cut stuffed felt star using a straight pin and some Christmas snow and you will have your own tiny winter wonderland!

Visit Matt and Shari to see the completeCalico tree craft tutorial.