Ruffly Tree Skirt

My friend asked me to make her a "scrappy" tree skirt.  I was so excited to make one for her and I think it turned out rather cute and looks so festive under her tree.  She had a bit of fabric that she gave me, but otherwise let me decide what to use.  This project would be great if you have a ton of random scraps and you're not sure what to do with them.

Once I figured out about what I wanted it to look like, the process was rather simple.  You'll need around 6 strips of fabric that are anywhere from 24" to 36" in length.  The width of my fabric strips varied from 4" to 12".  Once I had all of my various strips cut out, I made a pile in the order I thought I'd like them to be sewn.  I wanted to make sure my colors were evenly spaced so that my red polka dots didn't end up all together.

I cut the base of my skirt out of a white sheet using these instructions.  I then started at the outside part of the skirt and sewed strips of fabric on, ruffling them as I went. 

When one strip ended, I just tucked the next piece over and kept going.  After I got all the way around, I started over and made sure to overlap the next row of ruffles enough to cover the stitching at the top of the previous row.

I will not lie, this is a long process.  But put on a Christmas movie and just keep at it.  When the whole skirt was covered, I bound the inside circle with a strip of fabric and added a couple of ties to where the skirt comes together.  I also trimmed up a few spots that were a little longer than the rest of the ruffles.

 It was such a fun project to complete and it looks lovely underneath my friend's tree. 

Do you have a pile of scrap fabric like I do?  Have you made anything with it lately?  If so, post pictures to our facebook page.  We'd love to see what you are up to!