I LOVE these trees. Like really really love how they turned out! No, this is not an original idea, I saw something similar on pinterest, but (not to brag too much…) I think mine are pretty awesome. :)
Here is a quick tutorial on how to make them for yourself:
Step 1: Get some paper mache cones and crochet thread. (Or any thread or yarn, but I really like crochet thread!) Cut the cones down to varying sizes.
Step 2: Wrap cones with parchment paper and secure with pins. Using fabric stiffener coat thread and wind it around your cones. Let dry completely.
Tips for this step:
Make sure to get a few really good even rows around the bottom of the cone so it has a stable base once the paper mache cone is removed.
I used another container to wrap the thread around and apply the fabric stiffener so it didn’t get tangles in it. This made it easy to wrap onto paper mache cone and off of container in one easy step without making too much of a mess. My container cleaned up great with just some warm water.
Make sure to criss cross your thread over all parts of your cone! This is important!! I missed some criss-crossing on one side of my cone and this is what happened:
Oooops. If this happens to you, you can put your tree back onto the cone and add some additional criss-cross supports!
Step 3: After your trees have dried, remove paper mache cone and parchment. Mine came out super easy! You will notice in the photo above that I had extra fabric stiffener that dried in between my threads. To avoid this, make sure your strings don’t have any clumps of fabric stiffener on them. However, I took a paint brush I had and brushed between the strings and most of these spots of excess glue came off easily with no harm to my trees.
And there you have the finished product! A very simple Christmas Decoration that can sit on a mantle or in the window! :) You can add little ornaments (as long as they aren’t heavy). And I thought about making little twine bows for the tops, but in the end I like them just how simple they are. :)
Happy Christmas Decorating!
Sam
Veronica - What kind of glue do you use,?10.15.2014 – 5:42am
admin - Hi Veronica! I used ‘Aleene’s Fabric Stiffener and Draping Liquid’. There is a link in the post in Step 2 of the directions, in case you want to see it! Happy tree making, this is still one of my favorite holiday projects! -Sam10.15.2014 – 11:13am
Ross - Fantastic11.11.2014 – 5:59am
admin - thanks Ross!! -Sam11.19.2014 – 11:56am
Renee - These trees look fabulous! How did you apply the fabric stiffener, with a small paint brush?12.14.2014 – 7:12am
admin - I certainly started that way Renee… but then found it was just easier to get my hands dirty and coat the string before/as i was wrapping it around the cones. A little messy, but effective. :) -Sam12.18.2014 – 2:23pm
"Spruce" Up Your Christmas With These 6 DIY Christmas Trees! - […] from 2 Create in Color knows how to be thrifty. She creates clean looking christmas trees out of 3 simple things: yarn, a […]12.17.2014 – 10:01am
Eva Chung - Hey Sam! I love the design and how simple it is to make these Christmas trees! So thrifty! I wanted to let you know that I featured your blog here: http://destinationfemme.com/spruce-up-your-christmas-with-these-6-diy-christmas-trees-evc/ :)12.17.2014 – 10:22am
admin - Thank you Eva! Love your collection of trees, thanks for the feature! :) -Sam12.18.2014 – 2:24pm
Denise Fletcher - What a beautiful effect! They look gorgeous! By coincidence lve just bought some cone shapes so going to try….just as soon as l get some fabric starch! Wonder if mod podge would do the job?01.30.2015 – 3:27am
admin - I’m not sure, but if you try it and it works let us know! Happy Crafting! -Sam02.06.2015 – 9:03am
MoJo - Thanks for sharing! =) They look so nice… About how long does it take for the starch to dry?02.12.2015 – 4:07pm
suzanne vachon - how did you take the paper out?11.08.2015 – 5:24pm
admin - Once the fabric stiffener was dry I took the cardboard cone out and then just gently tugged at the parchment paper and it came out easily!11.13.2015 – 9:52am
cherylann - Could I do this with glue too?11.11.2015 – 11:45am
admin - Maybe? I know that’s not a helpful answer. Most of the tutorials I saw for this kind of thing used fabric stiffener. I think it would probably work with glue, maybe watered down glue would be a little better, but I can’t guarantee the results. Let us know if you try it! -Sam11.13.2015 – 9:53am
Maggie - I used 2 parts ipa clue to one part water. Also you can used cling film instead of parchment paper.10.25.2016 – 10:39am
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Tanis Williams - Where would I find paper mache cones? I live in Canada and we have Michael’s Craft stores but they are so expensive.12.02.2016 – 7:48pm
admin - Tanis, Michael’s is where I would have said. Maybe wait until they have a coupon? Otherwise, maybe you can find styrofoam (the hard, crispy stuff) cones to cover and use. Michael’s or other stores with floral supplies should have them. Good Luck on your search, and Merry Christmas! –Gail12.02.2016 – 8:02pm
admin - … and you are my first Merry Christmas wishee this year :) –g12.02.2016 – 8:03pm
Diane - I think it would be simple enough to make your own cone shape out of poster board. We can get a 22″ x 28″ sheet for less than $1 here, which would allow for more than just 1 cone, depending on the sizes you would want. Wish I’d seen this earlier, but good luck!!! Looks like it’s going to be a wonderful little project!01.04.2017 – 6:21pm
Susie - Curious about how you might store these – any ideas for maintaining their shape? They are beautiful!!12.10.2017 – 11:13am
admin - Storage is an issue for these thread trees! Thank you on behalf of Sam (this is Gail.) She issued this challenge and we kept our work secret from each other. I loved her result of these so very much — simple but striking. To keep them safe from year to year, slide them right back on to the cones you made them on, and wrap with tissue. If moisture might be a problem, seal them in a large zip bag. Happy Merry! –g12.11.2017 – 9:50pm
Yolanda - I think I am going to try to use birthday hats and just cut them to shape. These are pretty cute!11.14.2018 – 6:44pm
Tina - I think Gigi and I will work on these tomorrow. I’m part of a diy challenge group and they sent me a new glue – hopefully it works. Your crooked trees could be Dr Seuss trees….11.26.2018 – 8:34pm
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Easy DIY Thread Wrap Ornaments | WonderFil Specialty Threads USA - […] If you like the way these ornaments look, you can use the same materials to make thread-wrapped Christmas trees! We found the perfect tutorial for this project here: http://www.2createincolor.com/2012/11/29/simple-crafted-thread-trees/ […]12.29.2020 – 3:32pm
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