Make your home the envy of all this Christmas with our snazzy decorations!

What you need...

• Assorted craft cotton fabrics
  Lining fabric
  4oz wadding
  Toy stuffing
  5mm wide ribbon
  Pattern paper
  Gutermann thread
  Sewing machine
  
  All seam allowances 10mm unless stated otherwise.

instructions

1. Christmas Tree Skirt - 1 Using our template diagram for reference, measure the total height/length you want your tree skirt to cover then add 2cm for seam allowance. Next, measure the circumference of the tree trunk or stand, then use this to work out the radius.
   
   2 Add these two measurements together and draw them both on a large piece of pattern paper at a 90° angle. We drew ours at 54cm with an 8cm stand radius. Mark the total length measurement all the way along from the 90° point to create the outside edge of the circle, then mark where the radius sits all the way along from the 90° point.
   
   3 Cut this template out and fold it in half so you get a central line point of reference. Unfold the paper, draw this halfway line, and add a 1cm seam allowance to it. Add another 1cm seam allowance to the outside edge too, you may need to stick on a strip of paper here. Then you can either leave the bottom edge curved or draw a straight line from the corner to the halfway point to square off the bottom edge. Cut this half section out, discarding the side without the added seam allowance, then cut off the stand radius. This is your template.
   
   4 Use your template to cut out eight pieces of coordinating cotton fabrics. Pin and sew each one together, right sides facing, to create a circle or octagon. Do not join the last two seams together. Press all the seams open as you go. Lay the whole skirt on top of 4oz wadding and cut around it. Repeat with the lining fabric.
   
   5 Sew the patchwork circle and lining right sides together, with the wadding on top. Leave a small gap in the side of one of the unjoined panels. Sew all the way around, turn the skirt right side out through the gap and give everything a good press.
   
   6 Sew in the ditch of each panel join to hold all the layers together and create a quilted effect. Then sew all the way around the whole piece, close to the edge and sealing the gap in the side closed in the process. Press to finish.

2. Patchwork Star - 1 Use the template download provided to cut five pieces of cotton fabric with the template and the fabric right side up. Flip the pattern upside down to cut five mirrored pieces, then repeat to create the same amount for the back.
   
   2 Start by joining two pieces at a time along the squared off edge, right sides together. Press the seams open as you go. Repeat on the other pieces until you end up with five points for the front and another five for the back.
   
   3 You can now join these five points together along the shorter edge to create the star shape. Press the seams open as you go. It can help to stop sewing just before the centre point join to help with the bulk.
   
   4 Trim any bulky seams then pin the star shapes right sides together and sew around the outside edge, leaving a small gap in one straight side for turning. Cut off all excess seam allowance on the points. Turn the star right side out and press flat.
   
   5 Fill the star with toy stuffing then hand sew the gap closed with ladder stitch. Cut two 45cm lengths of ribbon, fold them in half and use the fold to hand sew them in place on the back of the star to tie them to the top of the tree.
   
   Try Sophia's embroidered felt decorations and alphabet decorations too!