Sandworm Tree Skirt

Hey ghouls and creeps! I was taking a look at previous posts and realized that it had been a hot minute since I did a sewing tutorial! So, I figured it was about dang time! I thought that this tree skirt would coordinate well with the sandworm garland that I created last year, which you can find here: https://britnijade.com/sandworm-tree-garland/. This idea was also inspired by the tree-devouring snake in Nightmare Before Christmas. The alternating panels of this tree skirt create the sandworm’s stripes when the applique piece is adhered then sewn to the top. Additional applique pieces are added to the faces for detail. Let’s get started!

*Finished size: 36″ diameter

I rated the Sandworm Tree Skirt project as hard. This project is a little tricky when you get into the applique steps! To be more specific, placing the background applique piece will take patience so be warned! If you are up for the challenge and want some practice with applique, this is your project! Skills and techniques included in this project are: tree skirt piecing, applique, cutting large and small detailed pieces, satin stitching, ironing, using quilt basting spray, binding, and hand sewing.

Step 1: Cutting: Print the PDF file below, and use it as a pattern to cut out tree skirt pieces. Follow instructions on the pattern for material types and cutting specifics. Pro-tip: Use a hole punch to get the perfect circular eye reflections for the outside head!

Step 2: Piecing: Alternating colors, sew together your sandworm’s stripes with a 3/8″ seam allowance. Continue sewing the wedges together until all are connected. Be sure to leave the last seam open for the tree skirt slit!

After that, press your seams open and fuse your fusible fleece to the wrong side of the tree skirt. Trim away any fusible fleece that extends past the edge of the tree skirt.

Step 3: Applique: Using quilt basting spray, apply adhesive to the wrong side of your background applique piece in small increments. Since the piece is so large, spraying portions of the piece at a time made this step more manageable. Pro-tip: Use the pattern to trace your placement line before you begin! If you’re more adventurous, like me, simply start then make adjustments as you get to the center.

One trick I used was to make the sandworm’s body width consistent as I got closer to the head. You can reapply basting spray where ever needed!

Once you have your sandworm outline where you would like it, take your tree skirt to your sewing machine and applique stitch the outline’s raw edge. Continue sewing until the entire outline is sewn. Need more information of satin stitching appliques? Check out this post where I explain more!: https://britnijade.com/tombstone-throw-pillows/

Now you can start applying the face appliques! Peel the paper backing off your face appliques and begin fusing in the following order: tongue, teeth 1, lips, teeth 2, then eyes.

To begin, fuse your tongue piece making sure to extend the back of the tongue a 1/8″ inside your sandworm (the back of the tongue will eventually be covered by the lips). Then applique stitch around the tongue.

After that, you can then fuse both lips and teeth set 1 at the same time! Make sure though, to place teeth 1 under the lips of the outside head before you iron! Once thoroughly fused, you can now satin stitch around the lip appliques.

To make the lips more true to the original, I switched thread colors from turquoise to red halfway through the lips on the inside head.

Place your eye pieces and teeth set 2 where desired and iron in place. Then you can satin stitch around the eyes! I didn’t satin stitch around the teeth because for teeth 1 I just didn’t feel like it, and teeth 2 shouldn’t unravel because they’re made of felt! By all means though, satin stitch around teeth 1, if you want to avoid inevitable fraying!

Step 4: Lining: Pin the liner and the top of the tree skirt right sides together. Then sew with a 3/8″ seam allowance all the way around the tree skirt, omitting the slit and the inside ring.

For a professional finish, make little snips along the seam, turn right side out, and understitch the edge to keep the liner neatly tucked underneath.

Then after matching up the lining and outside edges of the slit and ring, edge stitch all layers together.

Step 5: Binding and Buttons: Make your button loops by cutting a strip of material, 1 1/4″X 18″. Fold the strip in half lengthwise with right sides together and sew a 3/8″ seam along the long edge. Then turn the tube right side out using the safety pin trick! Press the tube and then cut into three 6″ lengths.

Divide one side of slit into quarters, pin a loop at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 of the length on the top of the skirt. Once pinned, backstitch over loop ends to secure.

Create your binding by cutting 2 1/2″ strips on the bias. Join your bias strips together with diagonal seams creating a strip measuring 54″. Press your bias seams open, and press your bias strip in half lengthwise with wrong sides together. Attach your bias to the slit and ring by beginning at the outside corner of the skirt.

To give the bias a nice finished corner, I wrapped an inch of the tail around to the liner side.

Continue sewing your bias 3/8″ from the edge until you reach the outside corner of the other side of the slit. Are you in need of more specifics when it comes to binding? Check out this post here for a more thorough breakdown: https://britnijade.com/bias-tape-basics/.

Once you’ve attached your bias binding, wrap the binding around the raw edge and slipstitch in place.

Following the manufacturer’s instructions on your covered buttons, cover three buttons total. Then make chalk marks 1 1/2″ in from the slit edge straight across from each loop. Use these markings as placement guides for your buttons! Now you’re ready to hand sew your buttons to your tree skirt! Make several passes with the thread through the buttons to reinforce the attachment.

Congrats! You finished this bear of a project! You should be really proud! Now place your tree skirt under your Creepmas tree just in time for the holiday!

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Ready for your next project? Here are some tutorials on the blog I think you’ll like! Frame Flip tutorial: https://britnijade.com/frame-flip/, Macrame Wall Hanging: https://britnijade.com/macrame-wall-hanging-w-bones/, or the Spider Web Macrame: https://britnijade.com/spider-web-macrame/. Enjoy!