Christmas Tree Pants Holiday Sew-Along (because not all trees like to wear skirts)
It’s here! Monica Solorio-Snow of Happy Zombie joins us today with her gorgeous design for our Christmas Tree Pants Sew-Along (because not all trees like to wear skirts!). The simple Tree Pants quilt works with either solids or prints, with scraps or with yardage; it incorporates easy “stitch and flip” star points so there’s no triangle piecing. Monica will return on two more Fridays for the rest of the sew-along tutorial. Mark your calendar for October 14 and October 21! Start today and you’ll be set to trim that tree. Have fun!
Welcome to day one of the Christmas Tree Pants sew-along. Because not all trees like to wear skirts. Red & white quilts are so fresh, but how fun to pick from a large variety of color solids to match your home and style. Another alternative is to make Christmas Tree Pants out of scraps.
The finished Christmas Tree Pants size is 40″ x 40″. Yardage is based on 42″ wide fabric and all seams are a ¼”.
Materials: Red + White Tree Pants
- 1½ yd. white solid
- 1 yd. red solid (½ yd for stars, ½ yd for binding)
- 1¼ yd. backing fabric
- 44″ x 44″ batting
Materials: Scrappy Tree Pants
- Scraps
- 1 yd. white solid (½ yd for stars, ½ yd for binding)
- 1¼ yd. backing fabric
- 44″ x 44″ piece batting
Cutting: Red + White Tree Pants:
From white background fabric, cut:
- 1 – 12½” strip
- —> subcut strip: 2 – 12½” squares, 6 – 2½” x 12½” rectangles
- 2 – 2½” strips
- —> subcut strips: 6 – 2½” x 12½” rectangles
- 9 – 4½” strips
- —> subcut strips: 56 – 4½” squares
From red star fabric, cut:
- 1 – 4½” strip
- —> subcut strip: 7 – 4½” squares
- 4 – 2½” strips
- —> subcut strip: 60 – 2½” squares
- 1 – 4½” strip
- —> subcut strip and from left-over previous cut strips: 32 – 1½” squares
- 6 – 2¼” strips for binding (or 2½” strips if that’s your preference)
Cutting: Scrappy Tree Pants:
From scraps fabrics for background, cut:
- 12 – 2½” x 12½” rectangles
- 74 – 4½” squares
From white star fabric, cut:
- 1 – 4½” strip
- —> subcut strip: 7 – 4½” squares
- 4 – 2½” strips
- —> subcut strip: 60 – 2½” squares
- 1 – 4½” strip
- —> subcut strip and from left-over previous cut strips: 32 – 1½” squares
- 6 – 2¼” strips for binding (or 2½” strips if that’s your preference)
Part 1: Assembly:
For assembly visuals, illustration diagrams will be in both red & white and scrappy versions.
1. Place one 2½” star point square atop one corner of the 4½” star square. Right sides together (RST). Stitch a diagonal line as per diagram.
2. Trim off top corner ¼” from stitch. Discard cut pieces.
3. Flip star point over and press (as per pressing arrow in diagram).
4. Repeat steps 1-3 on opposite corner of the 4½” star square to complete the unit. Make 28 units.
5. Assemble 9-patch block. Join units into three rows. Press pieces as per diagram.
6. Join rows to complete the star block. Press block as per diagram.
I’ll be posting my scrappy version pics in the Christmas Tree Pants Sew-Along Flickr group and hope you will too. Note: Be sure to join the group so you’ll be able to see all the photos posted from everyone.
Add your photos to the Christmas Tree Pants Sew-Along Flickr group each week for a chance to win:
- a copy of Better Homes and Gardens Scrappy Quilts, to which Monica was a contributor
- a $20 gift certificate to Sew,Mama,Sew!
- a pack of 12 Happy Mochi Yum Yum fat quarters (Monica’s fabric collection for Lecien)
All it takes is a progress photo! We want to see you sew all along the way, and every photo enters you to win.
Comment today for your chance to win a new sewing book! We’ll select two winners from the comments each week. This week YOU can win Everything Alice or Sewing with Oilcloth. For book details see this post, and don’t forget to add your progress photo to our Sew-Along Flickr Pools for more chances to WIN!
72 Responses to “Christmas Tree Pants Holiday Sew-Along (because not all trees like to wear skirts)”
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Love the stars! Is there a skirt version for real tree bases or just for artificial?
I’m excited about this one! I made a tree skirt before, but I wasn’t thrilled with how it turned out so I would love to have a new and better one.
Ooh, yay!!! I’m going to use red and green scraps I think. Still have to decide for sure, but I’m definitely using scraps b/c that way I don’t have to buy new fabric. I’m so excited that my tree will finally have a skirt this year!!
Love the red and white pants. Red is my favorite color and I think myfavorite blocks are the star blocks. 2 of my daughters will have their first Christmases at their own places so I probably need to start on some Christmas skirts or pants for them. Thanks for the directions, very clear.
I am going to have to try this one!
Fab tree pants – can’t wait to get started!
I am so excited to be doing this project! I just love red and white quilts! This is just in time because we need a new something for under the Christmas tree! Pants are just the ticket!
I can’t decide which color scheme I want to do! Excited to learn more piecing techniques with this sew along.
I love Monica! And I love her Christmas Tree Pants!
Santa eat your heart out – my tree is wearing the pants this year! This is going to be fun! Thanks for the great sew-along!
Thanks for the chance to win.
Love the PANTS. I need something for under my tree. I think this will be it.
Love the name! And the pants…
This looks like a great pattern! I’m going to have to go through my scraps and see if I have enough that I like for this project or if I want to use it as an excuse to buy more fabric!
I would love to print out these directions (and many others). Is there a link to a printable version? I really don’t need all the comments, I just want the instructions.
To Diana,
You can make the tree pant to fit any size tree, real or artificial. One size fits all. Ok, not really – I have some pretty big trees in my backyard that would be too big. One size fits almost all. It’s safe to safe say though, that what ever tree you get from a tree lot – these tree pants will fit.
I have never found just the right tree skirt….maybe I’ll just have to make one myself!
For someone who hates reading instructions (I prefer novels), this tutorial is magnificent. Thanks. I have a boatload of scraps and even a good number of them in reds, so I may do a scrappy sort of red and white version. I don’t know, but I’ll decide tomorrow when I start working on it. Maybe.
Excited about starting my tree pants tonight! Going to the fabric store after work today – whee!!! I just started quilting and am really looking forward to learning new things in this sew along.
Love this project.
Excited to start my first sew a long as well as my first quilt blocks! Monica is such a fabulous designer and inspiration!
What a cool tree skirt! Thanks for the tutorial!
So fun! I keep putting off making something for under my tree, but not this year! Thanks!
This is one perfect picture! Makes me wish Christmas was here.
Lovely, I think I just may have to play . . . um sew along.
Love the sew-alongs! Am cleaning my sewing room & sorting out fabric. Planning on doing the Scrappy Pants – so I’m pulling out my Reds & Greens. Will pick up white fabric tomorrow, tho maybe will use a gold.
Yup, my tree needs pants! Thanks Monica, I really needed another thing on my list
I want to make a scrappy version! Should be so fun.
i think my tree would like to wear some pants too! Let this be the year my tree actually gets “dressed”!
Love the idea of “pants”!
Must. Motivate. This tute makes it look so easy! Okay, here I go . . .
love the pants! I have a pile of fabric scraps just begging to be put to use! Hooray!
This sounds like fun. I am going to try and find fabric without shopping since I kinda have no choice given the lack of funds right now. lol I’m not sure what I have that might be good yet that won’t clash with my tree. Yea, I said clash with my tree. LOL Last year my husband spoiled me as he usually does after I spotted the most gorgeous purple Christmas tree. He surprised me and went and bought it for me. So now I need a new tree skirt anyway but never got time last year to make one before the holidays since I had hand surgery in November and was still recovering from hand surgery on my other hand which had been done in February. I made the skirt I have now and it’s still a favorite but I made that over 20 yrs ago and am ready for a new one.
Thank you for such great instructions.
Super cute! I love the simplicity of the red and white!
Christmas Tree pants… that’s great!
Super cute! Two of our daughters are having their first Christmas in their own homes this year…this would be something fun for me to make for them!
I really need to start this sew a long now!! SO CUTE!
So cute!! Thanks for sharing the tutorial!
Perfect! This is my first “homemade/handmade” Christmas and matches all my other decorations!!
I never seem to have too many solids lying around, so I am totally making scrappy tree pants. Way excited because this is the first year I have my own tree.
I think my tree would keel over if it actually had a skirt – or pants! definitely have to try this!
Yes! With 5 boys in our family, our tree definately needs some PANTS!
our old (cheap) felt tree skirt will finally get the retirement it deserves this year. Thanks so much for the motivation and the pattern!
Nice tutorial.
This looks so cute. I just wish I didn’t have a million and one projects on my to do list. I like the idea of pants instead of a skirt I mean those darn skirts are always flipping up
I’m excited to see how these turn out : )
I have a tree skirt but I want tree pants Thanks for the pattern I will have mine by Thanksgiving.
Love this! Just one question. Is a tree with pants a pant-tree?
I love this. I’ve just about decided to use a gorgeous fabric I have been saving for years. (Why? Waiting for what? Please tell me I’m not the only one who does that.) Thanks for the inspiration!
Love this project. Might need to rethink my Christmas sewing list slightly.
This looks like a beautiful project.
One question – what is the difference between tree pants and skirt?
My tree could use a new skirt.I made one a few years back, but it’s time to update with these cute stars! I’ll probably use the same red/green christmas material I used for a quilt last year. Thanks
Looks fun and I certainly need something new for the tree. I’m tired of my old skirt.
I love it! Can’t wait to get started. I love the red and white, but think the scrappy look will be beautiful too. What a great gift idea. I’m loving the colors of red, aqua and some pinks or greens thrown it. So that is close to three colors! All your colors are so happy, love them!
I might just make one of these for my sister & her bf who just moved into their first home this summer.
I don’t have anything for under my tree yet either, except cats. If I make one for myself, it better be in browns or greys to hide all the fur! lol
Adorable, can’t wait to give this a shot!
I’m starting tomorrow….Just picked my fabric for my tree pant. I am loving this project….:>)
I need a tree skirt/pant, and I like the traditional red and white star for christmas. i might even adapt your easy pieceing idea for a christmas bed quilt. Thanks.
If I can get this done it will be the first year that my tree hasn’t had an old bedsheet thrown around the bottom of it. I know. I’m ashamed.
I’m in! I’ve got the reds cut out, I’m starting the whites now.
I may have to scramble around and find more, as I don’t think I have enough. I’ll try and post a flicker picture, I love the colors.
this may be the project that gets me quilting this year. thanks
I think I will start on this at my quilting group this week. I will take the information so that they can all go to the site and get their own information to join. But I am going to start mine as a show and tell item. This is my start to getting ready for the holidays.
kathy g
Love this! Thanks for the tutorial!
Have to ask – where can I find that awesome ottoman in the photo?!
this project is getting me back in my sewing room ~ making the scrappy pants! i think i have enough scraps for 110 tree pants
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I have always wanted to try something like this, but never had the courage. This looks like something I can figure out, but is there someone to answer my questions when I get stuck???? Mine is going to be that kind of lime green with red stars. I’d like the stars to be kind of patchwork looking, but have to think about that! Tomorrow I go fabric shopping. Wish me luck!
I love this project. First I hate wearing skirts too and second I love star blocks! Thank you for the great tutorial!
OK, my tree has been naked for years. I really need to make this. Kathie L in Allentown
Yay for pants! Can’t wait to get started on mine.
Think that I might try to make this one. I like to make a vinyl liner attach with Velcro squares to protect the pants/skirt from water if you use a real tree. Ruined a felt skirt by having it get wet and the color run once.
[...] Welcome to Day 2 of the Christmas Tree Pants Sew-Along. If you’ve landed here on Day 2 and need to back-track to Day 1 for general info, materials, yardage, cutting and the first steps of assembly instructions, you can do so here. [...]
Oh how great! Can’t wait for more!!! I have a Fica tree that sits in the corner of my living room..it’s only 8 feet tall. I decorate it for every holiday in the calendar year. This will look great drapped around her pot. Keep them coming and God Bless you for sharing.
[...] Pants Sew-Along. If you’ve landed here on Day 3 and need to back-track, you can click over to Day 1 and Day [...]