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Christmas decor

5 Free Tree Skirt Patterns for Quilters—Plus 2 Crochet Alternatives

Choose the right handmade tree skirt by craft method and decorating style with five free quilted patterns, plus two clearly labeled crochet alternatives.

By ThatPainter Team Updated 8 min read
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The five free patterns in this roundup are quilt-oriented, but they are not interchangeable. Christmas Star Tree Skirt suits traditional patchwork fans, Holiday Tree Skirt is the clearest choice for a tabletop tree, Under the Tree can become a table topper, Shiny Baubles adds appliqué and metallic embellishment, and Merry and Bright Tree Skirt is designed for a more modern color palette.

All five come from the free-pattern collection published by American Patchwork & Quilting/AllPeopleQuilt, whose roundup was updated November 12, 2025. Check each linked pattern page for current instructions, yardage, finished dimensions, and usage terms before cutting fabric.

Quick comparison: which tree skirt should you make?

Pattern Primary technique Distinctive feature Best for
Christmas Star Tree Skirt Quilted piecing Basic units arranged around a Christmas star Traditional quilt lovers
Holiday Tree Skirt Quilted piecing Traditional blocks and a classic palette Tabletop or compact trees
Under the Tree Quilted piecing Sawtooth stars at the corners; optional table-topper version Versatile holiday sewists
Shiny Baubles Piecing and appliqué Fusible ornaments with metallic details Decorative-project makers
Merry and Bright Tree Skirt Quilted piecing Modern, nontraditional color choices Contemporary decorators

1. Christmas Star Tree Skirt

Choose this one if you want the familiar look of a traditional Christmas quilt. The design is built from basic quilt units, making it a piecing project rather than an appliqué-heavy decoration. Repeated units also give the skirt a structured, coordinated appearance beneath the tree.

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Best for: Quilters who enjoy assembling repeated units and want a central star motif.

#1 Best Overall

What to expect: You will likely need quilting cotton, batting, backing fabric, thread, a rotary cutter, cutting mat, quilting ruler, sewing machine, and a closure such as ties or snaps if the current instructions specify one. Do not purchase fabric by guesswork: confirm the pattern’s yardage and finished size first.

2. Holiday Tree Skirt

This is the most clearly size-specific choice in the collection. It uses traditional blocks and a classic holiday palette, but its tabletop-tree orientation makes it especially practical for a smaller artificial tree, console-table display, or apartment-sized decoration.

Best for: Readers decorating a tabletop or compact tree.

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Why choose it: A smaller tree skirt can be easier to cut, quilt, store, and finish than a full-size floor model. Measure the stand and the area around your tree before starting; the downloadable instructions, if offered on the current pattern page, should be treated as the authority for the finished dimensions.

3. Under the Tree

Under the Tree uses sawtooth stars at the corners, giving the skirt a crisp geometric accent instead of relying only on a central motif. It also has a useful second application: if you omit the center opening, the finished piece can serve as a festive table topper.

Best for: Sewists who want a star-accented tree skirt with more than one possible use.

Rank #2
Sale
Shabby Fabrics Bargello Christmas Tree Skirt Pattern Large
  • Using June Tailor's Quilt As You Go pre-printed batting, this eye-catching tree skirt is so fun to make!
  • Tree skirt finishes to approximately 40" in diameter
  • Quilt as You Go Sewing Project
  • Additional Required Materials for Finished Tree Skirt: June Tailor QYAG Tree Skirt pre-printed batting and template, 1/4 yard each of four greens, 1/4 yard each of four reds, 3/8 yard each of four whites, 2/3 yard red stripe for bias binding, and 1-1/4 yard for backing

Planning tip: Decide before construction whether you are making a skirt or a topper. A tree skirt needs an opening or slit so it can fit around the trunk and stand. A table topper does not need that opening, so the center can remain intact. Confirm the construction details and any recommended closure in the original instructions.

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4. Shiny Baubles

For the most decorative option, choose Shiny Baubles. It combines fusible ornament appliqués with metallic embellishments, making it a brighter statement piece than the primarily pieced designs in the collection.

Best for: Confident beginners or intermediate sewists who enjoy appliqué, pressing, and decorative finishing.

Materials to plan for: In addition to fabric, batting, backing, thread, and standard quilting tools, you will need fusible appliqué material and metallic trims or embellishments. Those specialty materials are separate from the free pattern itself and may require additional pressing and finishing steps. Test fusible materials and metallic trims on scraps before applying them to the skirt.

5. Merry and Bright Tree Skirt

Merry and Bright Tree Skirt is the strongest choice if red and green do not suit your room. The pattern encourages colors outside the traditional Christmas palette, so you can coordinate the skirt with a neutral, Scandinavian, jewel-toned, pastel, or otherwise contemporary decorating scheme.

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Rank #3
Scandi Christmas Tree Skirt Pattern
  • Warm up your home this holiday season and spread the cheer with this darling Scandi Christmas Tree Skirt
  • Quilt measures at approximately 47" in diameter
  • Pattern will include the instructions and diagram to complete the tree skirt. Fabric not included.
  • Designed by Jennifer Bosworth for Shabby Fabrics

Best for: Makers who want a modern, colorful, or decor-matched tree skirt.

Color-planning tip: Pull colors from ornaments, wrapping paper, stockings, or the room’s existing textiles. Make a small fabric audition before cutting so the contrast between the pieced sections remains visible under tree lights.

Before you start: sizing and construction decisions

Measure the tree area, not just the tree

Measure from the center of the stand outward to the point where you want the skirt to end. A skirt that only covers the stand will look different from one designed to extend beneath the lowest branches. Also check whether gifts, a tree collar, or a decorative basket will share the same space.

Do not assume the five patterns have the same finished diameter. The roundup gives broad design descriptions, but complete yardage, gauge, skill ratings, and finished dimensions should be taken from each individual pattern file or page.

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Plan the center opening

A sewn tree skirt generally needs either a center hole plus a slit or another opening that allows it to wrap around the trunk. The pattern may call for ties, buttons, snaps, or a different closure. If you are adapting a table topper, do not cut the center opening unless you want the piece to function as a skirt.

Rank #4
McCall's M6453 Ornaments, Wreath, Tree Skirt and Stocking Sewing Pattern, One Size
  • PATTERN M6453 SIZING: McCall's one-size pattern includes ornaments, wreath, tree skirt and stocking. Check the finished measurements on the envelope before cutting so your make turns out just right.
  • IN THE ENVELOPE: Printed tissue pattern pieces and clear step-by-step illustrated sewing instructions guide you from start to finish. The envelope also lists the suggested fabrics and the notions you need, so you can shop for materials with confidence.
  • MADE IN THE USA: Proudly made in the USA. McCall's has been a trusted name in home sewing since 1870, bringing contemporary, wearable style to sewists for over 150 years.
  • MAKE IT UNIQUELY YOURS: Create custom pieces using your favorite fabrics, prints, trims, and embellishments. Personalize your ornaments, wreath, tree skirt and stocking to reflect your style, or use the cover photos as inspiration for handmade makes that are truly your own.
  • SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate. A rewarding make for sewists with a little experience.

Buy fabric only after checking the pattern

Quilting cotton is the likely fabric choice for these pieced designs, but exact amounts and fabric cuts vary. You will generally also need batting or fusible fleece, backing, thread, and a sewing machine. Some designs may require more fabric for contrast pieces or appliqué than a basic supply list suggests.

Useful supplies for the quilted patterns

  • Cutting tools: A rotary cutter for quilting, a self-healing cutting mat, and a quilting ruler make accurate fabric cutting easier.
  • Fabric: Quilting cotton in the colors specified or chosen for the design. Buy extra if you are matching directional prints or working with a fabric that may shrink.
  • Batting: Choose quilting batting or fusible fleece only after checking the selected pattern’s construction. Batting adds body and warmth; fusible fleece may simplify temporary positioning, but the instructions should determine the appropriate product.
  • Backing and thread: You will need backing fabric and sewing thread compatible with the top fabrics.
  • Pressing equipment: An iron is important for piecing seams and, in the case of Shiny Baubles, applying fusible materials.
  • Closures: Ties, snaps, buttons, or another fastening method may be useful, but follow the selected pattern rather than assuming every skirt uses the same closure.

As a sizing reference—not a specification for all five patterns—AppleGreen Cottage’s separate reversible quilted tree-skirt example finishes at 42 inches in diameter. That project uses six top fabric pieces, approximately 1.5 yards of backing, and at least 40 by 50 inches of batting or fusible fleece. Its listed tools include quilting cotton, a sewing machine, thread, an iron, rotary-cutting tools, and optional KAM snaps. These quantities apply to that particular design, not automatically to the five patterns above.

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Two free crochet alternatives

The five featured patterns are quilt-oriented. If you prefer yarn, these two free crochet designs are useful alternatives, but they are not included in the canonical five.

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Solstice Tree Skirt by TL Yarn Crafts

The free Solstice Tree Skirt is worked from the center outward in turned rounds, creating a pentagon shape. It alternates simple double-crochet rows with bobble-texture rows and finishes with a contrasting trim made using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick and Go For Faux.

Best for: Crocheters who want a textured, dimensional skirt with a plush decorative edge.

For this pattern, the relevant supplies are Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn and Go For Faux yarn, plus the hook size, stitch markers, tapestry needle, and scissors specified by the current instructions. Yarn quantities and hook size should not be generalized from other crochet skirts.

Tunisian Crochet Tree Skirt by KnitterKnotter

KnitterKnotter’s free Tunisian crochet tree skirt is designed to be customizable for different tree sizes. The designer’s example is approximately 44 inches in diameter and uses Tunisian knit stitch, with yarn carried at the back to reduce the number of ends that need weaving in.

Best Value
June Tailor Quilt As You Go Tree Skirt Printed batting, White, Large
  • June Tailor Batting Quilt As You Go Cotton/Polyester Tree Skirt 40"
  • Pre-printed 80% Cotton 20% Polyester batting.
  • With easy piece-by-number construction, you can automatically quilt as you sew.
  • Includes batting and fabric cutting template to ensure perfectly sized fabric cutting.
  • Finished size is approximately 40" in diameter.

Best for: Crocheters comfortable with Tunisian techniques who want to adjust the skirt to their own tree.

The project is worked in rows rather than as a permanently closed circle because the finished piece must wrap around the tree. Ties or buttons can secure the overlap. If you choose this option, confirm the current gauge and hook requirements before buying a Tunisian crochet hook.

Copyright and free-pattern etiquette

A free pattern is not automatically free to redistribute, repackage, sell, or use as the basis for a commercial kit. Follow the terms on the original publisher or designer page, and send readers to those pages for the complete instructions.

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For example, Fort Worth Fabric Studio states that its free Granny Square Tree Skirt pattern is for personal use and may not be copied, redistributed, sold, reproduced, or kitted for resale without permission. Other designers may use different terms, so check each pattern individually. This article summarizes the designs; it does not reproduce complete instructions, downloadable files, or substantial copyrighted text.

How to choose your pattern

  1. Choose the craft method. Pick one of the five quilted designs if you sew; choose Solstice or the Tunisian pattern if you crochet.
  2. Measure your tree space. Pay special attention to tabletop versus floor-standing use and the desired distance from the trunk.
  3. Match the visual style. Select stars for a traditional geometric look, baubles for embellishment, or Merry and Bright for a nontraditional palette.
  4. Check the construction. Look for the current pattern’s dimensions, yardage, closure method, skill guidance, and any required appliqué or specialty materials.
  5. Respect the pattern terms. Use the original publisher or designer page for the complete pattern and follow its personal-use or commercial-use restrictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are all five tree skirt patterns quilt patterns?

Yes. The five patterns in the American Patchwork & Quilting/AllPeopleQuilt collection are quilt-oriented. The Solstice and KnitterKnotter designs are separate crochet alternatives.

Which pattern is best for a tabletop Christmas tree?

Holiday Tree Skirt is the clearest choice because the collection describes it as a tabletop-tree design. Confirm its current finished dimensions before cutting.

Can Under the Tree be used without a center opening?

Yes. The design can become a festive table topper when the center hole is omitted. Make the opening only if you want the piece to fit around a tree trunk and stand.

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Do free tree skirt patterns include fabric and yarn?

No. A free pattern generally refers to the instructions, not the materials. The quilted designs require fabric and notions, while the crochet alternatives require pattern-specific yarn and hooks.

The Bottom Line

For a traditional quilted Christmas look, start with Christmas Star Tree Skirt. Choose Holiday Tree Skirt for a tabletop tree, Under the Tree for a skirt that can double as a table topper, Shiny Baubles for appliqué and sparkle, and Merry and Bright for modern color. Crochet makers can use Solstice or KnitterKnotter’s Tunisian design as separate free alternatives. In every case, verify the current pattern details and usage terms before beginning.

Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1
A Merry Christmas with Kim Schaefer: • 27 Festive Projects to Deck Your Home • Quilts, Tree Skirts, Wreaths & More
A Merry Christmas with Kim Schaefer: • 27 Festive Projects to Deck Your Home • Quilts, Tree Skirts, Wreaths & More
Suitable for knitting and crochet projects; Non-toxic and acid free; Made in USA
$20.25
SaleBestseller No. 2
Shabby Fabrics Bargello Christmas Tree Skirt Pattern Large
Shabby Fabrics Bargello Christmas Tree Skirt Pattern Large
Tree skirt finishes to approximately 40" in diameter; Quilt as You Go Sewing Project
$12.00
Bestseller No. 3
Scandi Christmas Tree Skirt Pattern
Scandi Christmas Tree Skirt Pattern
Quilt measures at approximately 47" in diameter; Designed by Jennifer Bosworth for Shabby Fabrics
$15.00
Bestseller No. 4
McCall's M6453 Ornaments, Wreath, Tree Skirt and Stocking Sewing Pattern, One Size
McCall's M6453 Ornaments, Wreath, Tree Skirt and Stocking Sewing Pattern, One Size
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate. A rewarding make for sewists with a little experience.
$15.65
Bestseller No. 5
June Tailor Quilt As You Go Tree Skirt Printed batting, White, Large
June Tailor Quilt As You Go Tree Skirt Printed batting, White, Large
June Tailor Batting Quilt As You Go Cotton/Polyester Tree Skirt 40"; Pre-printed 80% Cotton 20% Polyester batting.
$29.40

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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