How to Make a Handprint Christmas Tree Skirt

In today'due south post: Acquire how to turn a Christmas tree skirt into a keepsake by adding family unit handprints.

I know information technology might exist too early on to be talking Christmas, but information technology SNOWED at my business firm this calendar week. SNOW. So we did what you do when it snows in October: we turned on Christmas music and put up our Christmas tree! I figure this is every bit expert a year every bit any to start the vacation flavour a little early, right?

Last yr I saw a photo of a handprint Christmas tree brim on FB and I've had the idea floating effectually in my head e'er since. It'due south a pretty cute projection, right? I wanted to figure out the best mode to make one so I could share instructions with you guys. And I'm sharing this project early in the flavour so you tin have one ready when yous get your tree up!

How to Make a Handprint Christmas Tree Skirt

I originally planned to brand my own tree skirt – it's not very hard to cut out a circumvolve with an opening in the back after all. Simply then I decided I'd want it to exist double layered, and probably finished with bias record. And when I headed to the material store to purchase supplies, I realized it was going to be nearly equally expensive to make my own Christmas tree skirt as it would be to buy i!

Then I headed to Amazon to find a plain white Christmas tree skirt that would work for adding handprints. Surprisingly, finding the right tree brim was harder than I thought it would be. I looked through well-nigh a hundred skirts and ordered v to check out information technology person. Luckily, one of them was perfect! I used this Christmas tree skirt from Amazon (please annotation that I added the crimson pom pom trim – you can meet what the tree skirt looks similar without information technology in the photo below).

Here'south what y'all need to look for in a Christmas tree skirt that you plan to put handprints on:

The handprints volition evidence up best on a white skirt. I ordered a couple of burlap skirts that looked adequately calorie-free online simply were pretty dark in person, so I don't think they would piece of work as well.
Many white tree skirts are made out of fake fur, which volition non work for handprints. Yet, this faux fur tree brim has a felt bankroll – so I think yous could flip information technology over and add the handprints to the underside.
It'southward all-time to choose a cloth that is non glace to the touch, or the handprints may smear. A cotton, sheet, or felt skirt should piece of work well. The tree skirt I ordered is just slightly fuzzy to the bear upon with lines of quilting running through it and it worked just fine!

Handprint Christmas Tree Skirt Supplies

To make a handprint Christmas tree, you'll need the post-obit supplies:

Outset, yous'll need a white Christmas tree skirt. (This is the 1 I used.)

Next, you volition demand something to protect your tabular array/piece of work area with, like a disposable tablecloth.

Then you will want paint in as many colors as yous'd similar. I used inexpensive acrylic craft paint in red, greenish, gold, and turquoise. NOTE: If you program to add handprints year subsequently year, keep the bottles of paint that you use in a sealed ziplock – they should stay good for a few years!

You will also demand a minor cream paintbrush and a small plastic or paper plate for EACH color of paint you plan to employ. The small foam brushes that are only near an inch broad are the easiest to utilise.

To add names and dates you lot will demand a black fine signal Sharpie.

OPTIONAL SUPPLY: You can too add trim to the edge of your tree skirt if you'd like. I'1000 a sucker for pom poms, and then I added red pom pom trim. Trim tin can get pretty pricey, especially because that for a big tree skirt like the i I used y'all'll need nearly v yards. With a 50% off coupon, the large pom pom trim I purchased was about $25, merely Jo-Ann also carries a smaller pom pom trim which is half the cost. To add trim, you'll either want to sew it on with matching thread, or glue it on with material gum such equally Liquid Stitch.

Tips for Success

There are a few things to think about before you outset:

First, cover your table with butcher paper or a disposable tablecloth – this will protect your tabular array if paint bleeds through the tree skirt.

Next, be sure that there is a sink easily attainable for people to wash their hands afterward they accept fabricated their handprints. The acrylic paint will come up off of easily pretty easily as long equally they are washed with h2o and soap presently afterward making handprints.

Finally, if you will be having multiple children adding handprints to the tree skirt, be sure you lot have other adults around to help. Anyone nether 12 will definitely need an adult helper, and if you will be having small children add handprints you lot will probably want two adults helping to ensure that paint doesn't go anywhere it shouldn't. As well, program to just do i set of handprints at a time. Do not call all the kids to the table to add their handprints at once or you volition definitely end up with paint somewhere you don't want it. Instead, plan to have ane kid at a time come and make handprints (while the other kids are busy doing something else). The handprints volition dry out fairly quickly, and then you can let each fix dry before moving on to the next person.

Please know that if you lot are working with children, there is a adept chance you will get a drop or smudge of paint somewhere on the tree skirt that you don't want. Trying to wipe it off will likely lead to a larger smudge, so my communication is to have that any "kid-made" project is going to include some imperfections. You lot might desire to attempt a sample handprint at the very back of the Christmas tree skirt starting time. Additionally, you can use a 2nd plastic tablecloth to cover the residuum of the tree skirt and protect it from drips (just made certain not to cover any prints until they are completely dry).

Handprint Christmas Tree Brim Instructions

This ambrosial handprint Christmas tree skirt will become a family keepsake!

White Christmas tree skirt
Acrylic Arts and crafts paint
1 Pocket-sized foam paintbrush for each color of paint
1 Small plastic plate for each color of paint
Plastic tablecloth
Blackness Fine Point Sharpie

Optional Supplies

Pom Pom trim
Liquid Run up or matching thread to add together trim

Step ane: Prepare your expanse. Before you begin, place a plastic tablecloth over the table yous volition be using. Spread the tree skirt out over information technology. (If the tree brim is wrinkled from the packaging, iron it from the wrong side beforehand). Make sure you have fix admission to a sink for people to wash their hands.
Footstep 2: Squeeze out paint onto the beginning plastic plate, and then paint one hand. (Be certain the mitt that'southward getting painted is higher up the plastic plate, Non above the tree skirt in example any paint drips.) Put 2 coats of paint on the hand; the hand should feel quite wet in order to get a good handprint.
Step three: Working apace, help the child identify their mitt down on the tree skirt where you desire the impress to be. Concur the paw downwards, pressing firmly on each finger and in the center of the palm. Agree the hand down on the tree skirt about xv seconds to get a good print.
Step 4: Carefully elevator the paw from the tree skirt, while using a clean paw to hold the tree skirt steady. If plenty paint did non transfer y'all have 2 options. You can repaint the manus and place it downwardly in the same place again OR yous can employ the paintbrush or a q-tip to dab extra pigment down on whatever bare spots.
Pace 5: Echo with the other hand. Go on making handprints, moving around the tree skirt. The paint will dry out fairly apace, so you tin await for each fix of prints to dry before making the next if desired.
Stride half-dozen: Once the pigment is completely dry out, you tin can heat set up the handprints with an atomic number 26. Working one set of handprints at a time, place a thin material over the tree skirt and iron over the handprints, constantly moving the iron around (you must have a material between the painted handprints and the iron). This volition help the paint to stay set for years. Notwithstanding, machine washing the tree brim is not recommended.
Pace 7: Write the proper noun and date next to each handprint set using a Sharpie.
Pace 8: If desired, add pom pom trim around the outer border of the tree skirt. Yous tin can stitch the trim on using a zig zag run up in a matching thread, OR you can mucilage the trim on using cloth glue such equally Liquid Stitch.