Offer a seasonal activity to kids and grownups
with this ribbon-laced tree outline ornament.
Use narrow ribbon or thick twine string to create
a lacing pattern through the "punch holes" or
layered-for-thickness frame.
Add thickened five point star at the top if desired.
Copy one of several suggested
patterns shown farther on in this post, or allow
the stitcher to make an original!
Add a hanging loop or hook through point-top hole,
then hang on tree or peg, dangle from a swag,
embellish a seasonal wreath.
Of course, simple "whip stitch" traditional lacing
where twine string passes down holes, is wrapped
around the outer edge of tree, then passes down
again is a pattern many lacers will already know.
A quick lacing pattern with straight stitches
would look something like this illustration, below.
Consider bringing ends around to front to tie in
neat knot and tiny bow across front (below
hanging hole and loop).
Below is the lacing option similar to the thumbnail
image but without the star.
Here are some preliminary lacing instructions;
more step by step follow below.
A) Begin with a 45" length
of ribbon.
B) After the down-up stitches are made along
each side of the bottom of the trunk to travel UP
through holes 3 & 5, ribbon is travels across trunk
to insert DOWN in holes 4 & 6 respectively.
C) Next, lacing travels through tree opening
to pass DOWN through hole 7, UP for 8, DOWN for 9,
through center opening to pass DOWN for 10.
(Complete mirror image of this for opposite side
and holes 11-14.)
D) For most of the lacing that continues up sides,
the sequence follows the more-regular pattern
of traveling through the tree center opening to pass DOWN
from front at each side hole. This can be completed for
one ribbon end all the way up, then the other. OR, you
can alternate sides as the lacing proceeds.
E) At top, lacing should pass UP so that ends
finish coming through to the FRONT.
To add the star at top, follow much of the same lacing
order as above, EXCEPT position (tack glue only around holes
if desired) thickened star shape so that holes align
with top two lacing holes.
Begin with lacing on front, center of
length crossing front of star, then working downward
so that ends thread UP through center bottom holes
to be tied into a neat knot and tiny bow.
Here is one more suggestion
for a cris-cross variation:
ASSEMBLY & LACING:
1. Identify and cut the shapes:
A tree shapes - cut 8-9 shapes from cardstock to stack
for rigidity and strength; the model was created with
a colored shape for front, 6 interior shapes,
and a colored shape for back
B optional star: cut 8-9 to stack for thickness
Also shown is the narrow lacing ribbon (approx. 45")
2. Begin by layering the tree shapes and gluing together
into a single stack. Take care that ALL cut edges are
aligned as precisely as possible, paying particular
attention to the punch holes.
Immediately press the stack under a flat heavy object
on flat surface, such as this thick book volume, possibly
with something else heavy placed on to.
Pressing is extremely important for glued stacks
to help minimize warping or curling caused by
the drying process of wet adhesive.
Leave the stack in press until completely dry and
no longer cool to the touch, for several hours or
over night.
3. Repeat the stack and glue process for the optional
star ornament, . . .
. . . pressing flat with heavy object (shown here with
a muslin-covered repurposed weight bar) until
completely dry.
If desired, enhance the star accent to look even more
like a button by coating the front with NUVO crystal
glaze (clear) and allow to thoroughly dry.
LACING
(The following steps will demonstrate the back and
forth zigzag pattern of the sample tree.)
4. Cut a 45" length of ribbon.
To assist the threading through holes, string or
ribbon, etc. may be loaded onto a blunt tapestry
needle, if the needle and material will still go
through with relative ease.
An alternative to this is to wrap a small piece of
cello-tape around the end (protects it from
unraveling) and then roll the tape and end tightly
in slight spiral to form a point. Trim the end even more
pointy if desired. For some patterns, it will be helpful
to prepare BOTH ends this way.
5. Locate the center of the ribbon and mark with pin.
6. Pass the right side end UP through the right center
hole at trunk end, then . . . .
(image below is shown from backside)
. . . pull ribbon through to halfway mark where
pin is centered between the two center holes.
7. Front front side pass the same end DOWN
through the next hole, and pull ribbon through,
without un-adjusting the ribbon centering.
8. Reverse the tree, skip the corner hole, then
lace DOWN into the next hole
above and pull through (this will be assumed
from this point forward).
9. Pass ribbon diagonally across trunk area
to lace DOWN in top hole, then UP and DOWN
to create a "straight" stitch to bottom corner.
10. Pass lacing behind tree and UP through
the tree's interior opening to make the long
diagonal run to pass DOWN the second hole up
from corner.
NOTE that for the remainder of the lacing, MOST
of the passes will travel across the interior space
and upward so that passes travel DOWN
front to back.
11. For this description, the RIGHT lace end will
be paused at this point . . .
. . . and the same lacing in these previous steps
will be completed in mirror image for the LEFT end.
12. Continue the diagonal lacing, alternating RIGHT
and LEFT ends (this makes it easier to see where
the next insertion goes without skipping holes)
until both ends reach the second to top holes.
13. For the final lacing, the ends should pass UP
through their respective holes where they can be
tied into a neat knot and tiny bow. Trim ends and
attach hanging loop or decorative hook.
14. If you are attaching the star accent, you can
follow the above steps. OR the lacing can be reversed
so that it begins at the TOP two holes (insert ribbon through
star holes first) and then worked downward,
with slight variation in trunk area, so
that final ends insert UP in center two holes to allow
for tying knot and bow at center bottom.
