Easy Crafts for Christmas

For a tree that's trimmed to the nines, fashion a skirt out of red cotton fabric and white grosgrain ribbon.

Tools and Materials
* Red cotton fabric (13-by-118 inches)
* White grosgrain ribbon
* Fabric stiffener
* Fabric glue
* Foam brush
* Iron
* Quilting ruler
* Hole punch
* Cord



Step 1

Cut a 13-by-118-inch rectangle of fabric (you may need to link together several 13-inch-wide strips with fabric glue, overlapping ends, to create 1 long strip). Coat with fabric stiffener, using a foam brush to distribute evenly. Air-dry for 1 hour. Press with an iron.
Step 2

Lay an 11 1/2-foot length of grosgrain ribbon on each long side of skirt (see top), positioning ribbon so that there's 10 inches of overhang on both sides (these ends will form ties). Starting at 1 edge, affix each ribbon with fabric glue; stop 2 inches from opposite edge, and leave remaining ribbon loose. Repeat with a third 11 1/2-foot length of ribbon (see top), positioning it 2 inches from 1 side.

Step 3

Using a quilting ruler as a guide, make 2 1/2-inch-wide accordion folds in fabric (last fold will be slightly narrower). Press fabric, and unfold.



Step 4

Working along the side with 1 ribbon, punch holes through ribbon and fabric at each fold, about 1/4 inch from crease.

Step 5

Thread 1 yard of cord through holes. Wrap skirt around tree, tying cord and ribbons at back.

Dress up the dinner table with napkin holders made from felt holly leaves and a jingle bell. Photocopy the leaves templet, and cut out. Trace onto felt; cut out shape. Fold each leaf in half lengthwise, then steam with an iron to create creases. Thread a jingle bell onto the middle of decorative cording. Tie cord around base of leaves, positioning leaves at bell; knot. Tie cord behind folded napkin.

This button-stamped gift wrap is fun to make. Affix button to a cork with double-sided tape. Place plain paper on a piece of felt or a folded piece of fabric (this cushions the paper so the mark will be even). Top with a pretty button tied on with baker's twine.

These mittens won't warm chilled hands, but they will generate good cheer when clipped to gift tags. Cut a mitten shape from cardboard, and trace it onto a piece of felt. Cut along the lines, and glue the felt to the cardboard with clear-drying white craft glue. Adorn the felt side of the mitten with bits of felt in complementary colors -- dots made with a hole punch, a monogram, felt trim edged with decorative shears, or a Christmas tree cut out with a decorative craft punch. Glue a standard wooden clothespin to cardboard, then glue a magnet to the back of the clothespin. After the gifts have been opened, use your mittens to display greeting cards on the refrigerator.

When you're chopping firewood, set aside branches that are too thin for logs and too thick for kindling. Use them instead as the base for this festive holiday place card. Cut a branch (ours are black walnut) into thin rounds. Drill a hole in the center with a high-speed rotary drill or a regular drill with a small bit. Insert sprigs of greenery (we used dwarf Alberta spruce), and position a cut-out paper name tag in the top of the branch, or tie on with colored twine. And don't forget a star at the top.

These paper trees are as pretty as origami versions but easier to make.

Tools and Materials

* Adjustable circle cutter
* Green card stock, from paperpresentation.com
* Bone Folder
* Scissors
* Wooden skewers
* Hot-glue gun
* 1 1/8-inch (for small trees) and 1 15/16-inch (for large trees) wooden spools, by Woodworks, from craftparts.com
* Gold beads, from tohoshoji-ny.com



Step 1

For large Christmas trees, use an adjustable circle cutter to make 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, and 6-inch-diameter circles from green card stock (for small trees, omit the 6-inch circle).

Step 2

Fold each circle in half 4 times with a bone folder. While circles are folded, snip off the tip of each piece, forming a very small hole in center.

Step 3

Place smallest circle on the pointed end of a wooden skewer (we used 12-inch skewers), letting the tip poke through the hole in circle. With a hot-glue gun, dab underside of circle, where paper and skewer meet. Hold for 10 seconds to secure.



Step 4

Working 1 at a time from smallest circle to largest, slide remaining circles onto skewer; secure with glue.

Step 5

Insert bottom of skewer into a spool; remove, and cut skewer to desired height (we cut ours to 6, 9, and 10 inches), keeping in mind that only spool should be visible beneath standing tree. Return skewer to spool; secure with glue. Add a dot of glue to top of skewer, and attach a gold bead.

Add an elegant touch to your home with these easy-to-make gilded pinecones.

1. In a ventilated area, line a surface with plastic and then paper. Secure a rod across an open cardboard box.

2. Insert a screw eye into base of each pinecone. Attach a 10-inch-long wire to each screw eye.

3. Stir gold paint. Wearing gloves, dip pinecones to coat; hang on rod in box. Let dry (at least 1 day).

4. Remove wire; thread with ribbon.

1. Cut a 2 1/2-by-3 1/2-inch rectangle from crepe paper. Brush craft glue along 1 short side of rectangle. Starting at opposite side, roll rectangle into a tube. Press along seam to seal. Let dry.

2. Brush craft glue along inner edge of 1 end of tube. Pinch edge together. Let dry.

3. Gently stretch open end of tube to create a bell shape, flaring base slightly.

4. String a jingle bell halfway onto a 7-inch length of thin silver cord; knot at top of bell. Thread ends of cord through top of paper bell (poke a tiny hole if necessary), until bell sits even with base of paper bell.

5. With a pencil, mark cord at top of paper bell.

6. Remove cord; knot ends together at mark. Rethread ends through top of paper bell.

7. Thread a sequin onto both ends; affix to top of paper bell with craft glue. Tie cord onto a decorative ribbon. Trim excess cord.

Brandy Taylor