Easier to make than to spell: O Tannenbaum

Making the Cutest Little Christmas Cards

You will need heavy cardstock cut to 10w x 7h" and folded in half to make a 5 x 7" card. This allows you to use a standard sized envelope known as A7.

Style One

Step 1

Use a glue stick to adhere background fabric to a thin stabilizer such as Buckram. Cut thin stabilizer to approximately 5x7", keeping in mind that it will be trimmed to exactly 4.5 x 6.5" when the stitching is complete. Cut out shiny fabric in one or two layers, in a triangle shape. Pin onto the background.

Step 2

Set up your machine for free motion with a medium value green thread. Here I used black bobbin (fine) thread and it doesn't show on top at all.

(This tree is done with blue-green hued threads, with black bobbin thread. Normal sewing thread can be used in the bobbin, too.)

Step 3

Use a medium to short zig zag. Be sure to watch the direction of your stitches-you want them to angle out and down on each side. Notice how I turn the fabric to get the proper angle. As you run your machine, elongate the stitches by pulling the fabric back and forth-about a half an inch-in the direction that the stitches are aiming.

Step 4

Next, use the darkest green thread to stitch over the medium green where you want shading (darker areas). This will be the darker side of the tree. Some stitches can go into the middle and across the bottom, or on the underside of your boughs.

Step 5

Using the lightest green thread, stitch in the areas you want to have hit by the most light. (The opposite side of the dark thread, and on top of some of the boughs in the middle.)

Another Style Idea

This tree is done a little differently. Yellow-green threads were used, with white bobbin thread.

1. Cut heavy stabilizer such as Pellon 70 or Timtex to exactly 4 x 6". Glue background fabric onto stabilizer (inexpensive glue sticks work well to tack it in place). Leave fabric extending beyond the edges of the stabilizer, about half an inch on each side, for finishing later. (When using a heavy stabilizer, it may show on the edges of the picture if the fabric isn't wrapped around it.)

2. Cut satin into a triangle shape and glue onto the background fabric.

3. Using medium valued green thread, stitch with a small to medium zig zag, in free motion. Pay close attention to the direction stitches are going, and don't forget to pull the background back and forth.

4. Stitch as above with dark thread, and then with the lightest value.

5. To add bit of snow to your tree, use a small zig zag (1.5) scribbling it across the tree, especially in areas where show would naturally build up.

FInishing

For the first method, trim the edges of your picture to exactly 4.0 x 6.0", to allow a half inch 'border' around the picture on the card. For the second method, turn the extra fabric edges to the back, tack in place with glue, and press.

Finally, use double stick tape to adhere the picture to folded heavy cardstock. With the card open, use a decorative stitch to sew down the edges. Write your greeting, you're done!

People will rave about this!

Please send photos of your cards-I'd love to see them.