Christmas Tree Tutorial - Wool and Paper

 

 I'm flattered that a couple people asked for a tutorial so here we go.

This is for both the wool and paper trees, same thing only different.

For the wool trees (wts), I just used the woven wool or blends that I had, some felted, some not.  This would work for felted knits as well.  In fact I think that was what the ornament I saw, that gave me the idea to adapt into this idea, was made from.

Besides the tree 'branches' you will need:

bamboo cooking skewer

wine bottle cork, synthetic works best

cardboard or foam core

hot glue

tacky glue

white glue or modge podge

tree top embellishments

glitter

 For either tree take a skewer and stick it into a wine cork, cut in half.  Glue to secure. 

 Put the cork into a candle stick.  Some may have to be sliced thinner to fit tighter candle sticks.  You decide if you want to permanently glue the cork to the candlestick or use candle stickem' if the cork doesn't stay in by itself.  Thinking about storing the tree may help you decide, ha!

 For paper trees (pts) cut both sheet music or book pages and use either brown paper or brown coffee filters.  But I like the idea of recycling old grocery bags.  Then wrinkle them up into balls and then flatten them out, this gives them some body so you don't just have a stack of paper on a stick.

For pts I cut circles from 1 to 8 inches, in 1/2 inch increments.

For wts I cut from 1 1/4 to 4 inches, in 1/4 inch increments. 

I cut patterns from cardboard.  Stack up your wool or paper and cut as many layers as you can at once.  The circles don't have to be perfect.  The number of circles vary with the size of the tree.  I suggest starting out with 5 circles in each size and add or subtract to get the size and fullness you like.

So you cut your circles and you cut some more circles and then a few more.

 To start the trees put the largest piece of wool or paper down then a support disk, made from cardboard of foam core, an inch or two smaller than the circle.

  Then the second circle.  Glue the first 2 circles together around the edge, sandwiching in the support piece so you don't see it.

  

Also to help give your layers some separation you need some filler between the circles.  

For wts I used a small scrap of thick wool.

When I made the pts a year ago, I put white glue on the skewer between the circles to stop the paper layers from settling to the bottom.  But I think I have an idea that will work better so I'm going to suggest putting an 1/8 inch piece of straw between each circle.  If any one does this, let me know how it turned out.  I used red in the picture so you could see it, I don't think it will show but you might want to use something that will blend in.

Now just go to town layering.  Spacer, circle, spacer, circle, spacer, circle.....

Fluff the layers if they need it and cut any extra skewer off, glue on your tree top embellishments.  I used a vintage glass tree ornament, tied with a piece of lace and seam binding tape.

To glitter or not to glitter?  This is how I glittered, someone might have a less messy way but really, it's glitter, it should have messy on the label.

White glue or modge podge brushed on the circle edges.  Over a news paper, tilt the tree as you pour glitter over the entire tree.  Give the tree a few taps to shed the excess and put it aside to dry.