Christmas Tree Ornaments from Old Blue Jeans
How to Make Blue Jean Christmas Tree Ornaments
These Adorable Last Minute Quilted Christmas Ornaments are incredibly quick and easy to finish. Plus, they are made completely from scrap fabric which also makes them very economical! Get started now and you’ll have a handful of them finished by dinner!
To get started, pull together your scrap blue jean pieces that aren’t quite large enough to make a quilt block. Plus, you’ll need some scraps of fusible fleece, quilt batting and some fancy ribbons or trims.
You may certainly use any fabrics for this project. Denim is my choice as I’m always looking for ways to use up those bits of blue jeans left over from making rag quilts. This is a perfect solution and such a fun little project.
Denim Strip Triangle Trees from Blue Jean Scraps
Cut Your Denim into Triangles and Strips
You will be cutting triangles with my super easy no-math-required method! For your pattern, measure out a 6” tall by 4” wide rectangle on a piece of paper. Cut and fold your paper rectangle so it measures 6” x 2”. Use a mini ruler to draw and cut a line from the top folded corner to the bottom open corner. Now open your pattern to see a perfect triangle. You can make any size with this method.
Using your triangle pattern, cut out the following pieces for your tree.
- Cut 1 triangle of base fabric. This is the piece you will sew your strips to.
- Cut 1 triangle of denim fabric for your backing.
For your fusible fleece and batting, fold up the bottom edge of your triangle pattern by ¼” before cutting. This will make these pieces just a bit smaller, so the edges won’t be visible when your tree is sewn together.
- Cut 2 triangles of fusible fleece.
- Cut 2 triangles of batting.
- 8” (approximately) of thin ribbon for a hanger.
Lastly, you will need to gather ¾” strips of varying shades of denim. You will be using lengths from about ½” to 6 ½”. If you have all the same color, just turn them over and use the underside for contrast. Plus, if you want to add some fancy ribbons or trim, you can add those after all your strips are attached.
How to Sew Blue Jean Christmas Tree Ornaments
Putting the Pieces Together
Center and fuse the Fusible Fleece on the wrong sides of the tree front and back. It was cut a bit smaller, so it won’t reach the outer edges. This stabilizes your fabrics so it’s easier to work with.
Place your first strip on the right side of your tree front, lining it up along the bottom edge. Keep about a ¼” overhang on each side as you sew. Zigzag on the right side, across the top edge from side to side to secure in place.
I found that using a single long strip is easiest to sew with rather than cutting each to size. The top pieces are small and trying to hold those little bits can be a challenge. Everything will be trimmed once the sewing is complete.
Lay your next strip above the first, placing the bottom edge over the previous stitching so it’s covered. Zigzag across the top edge, leaving the bottom edge loose. Continue adding more strips until you reach the top.
Once all the strips are sewn, turn your tree front over. Trim along the side edges of the triangle to remove the extra overhanging strips.
Decorating Your Denim Christmas Tree Ornaments
Decorating your tree with ribbon or trim is very easy. Simply lay your decorative pieces on top of a single denim strip & zigzag in place. Here’s a tip that you’ll find very helpful if you use a woven trim that may ravel when cut. Rather than placing the cut edge where you’ll begin sewing, place it on the other side.
Lay your strip across the tree leaving a bit of the cut end hanging over where you’ll finish sewing it down. Begin sewing the uncut strip to the tree and zigzag to the other side. Then trim both sides. It is so much easier not to try and keep those unraveling threads together at the beginning of the seam. This made decorating the tree a breeze!
Finishing Your Denim Christmas Tree Ornaments
Now it’s time to put it all together. Place your tree back with the right side facing down. Layer both pieces of batting on top. They are cut a bit smaller and should easily fit within the edges of your tree back. Now place your tree front on top with the right side facing up. You will be sewing from the top side.
Knot your ribbon ends together to form a loop for hanging your ornament. Narrow ribbon will make a smaller know which is much easier to sew in place. It will be sewn in place as you sew your side seams. Pinning all these little layers can be a challenge. If you want to keep everything together securely while you’re sewing, you will definitely want to use quilting clips instead of pins.
Turn you tree so the top point is facing you with the tree front facing up. Beginning from corner of the tree bottom, zigzag close to the edge until you get to about 1” from the top point. Place the knotted ribbon hanger between the layers of batting, then continue sewing right off the point. If you feel the need to hold everything in place as you sew, please use the tips of your scissors or seam ripper and not your fingers!
Turn your tree in the other direction and begin sewing from the tree top point down the other side. Then sew across the bottom edge. Trim edges as needed & sign your finished ornament!
Give Some Other Options a Try Too!
Sew your strips in diagonal direction instead of straight across. You can even sew them vertically for a different look. Plus, you might even want to jazz up the back side more, too. Once your tree front and back are completed, finish as above. Just get creative and have fun.
Enjoy your holiday quilting!
Want to Learn More About Rag Quilts?
Be sure to sign up for my Free Rag Quilt eCourse. You’ll receive a daily email for a week that outlines everything you need to know about rag quilting. Once you learn how to make rag quilt borders, you’ll want to learn all there is to know about rag quilts!
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