They Are Quick, Easy And Fun Gifts For Young And Old To Make For Family And Friends.

The trick is in the folding to make the napkin look like a Christmas Tree.

Let the kids cut some out of paper and decorate their own.

Use them as name tags, decorations, Christmas Tree ornaments and napkins, of course.

Napkins can be either single or double layer of fabric. They can be any size you want them to be. The example I am using here is a 14-1/2″

Use some pretty Christmas prints or some unusual decorative fabrics.

One year, I used a lacey fabric and rolled the edges with a gold metallic thread. Then, I hung them on my tree. It really looked pretty.

You really don’t have to sew these napkins if you don’t want to. You can use decorative edge craft scissors to cut the fabric and not finish it with sewing at all.

You can even use paper napkins if you like. Have fun with this idea.

Less than a yard of 45″ wide fabric makes 6 napkins single layer or 3 double layer.

1-5/8 yards makes a dozen single layer napkins.

Preshrink all fabrics.

I also like to spray starch my fabric before I cut and serge or satin stitch the edges of my napkins.

Cut Napkins into 14-1/2″ circles.

To make a paper pattern, draw a circle 14-1/2″ in diameter.

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Here is how to make a compass to draw your pattern.

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Tie a string or ribbon to a pencil.

Measure the string back from the pencil 7-1/4″.

Put a pin in the string/ribbon at that point.

(7-1/4″ is the radius or 1/2 of the diameter of the 14-1/2″ circle.)

This is your compass to help you draw your circle.

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Here is how to draw your pattern.

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Place some tracing paper down and put the pin in the center.

Now, extending the string, and using the pencil, draw a circle out all around the pin 7-/4″away.

This creates a 14-1/2″ circle for your napkin pattern.

Label it and keep it for future napkins.

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Single Layer Napkins

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Serge finish with the right side up on your serger.

I like to use the rolled edge finish on most of my napkins. It depends on the fabric.

Feed the circle of fabric to the knife slowly letting the knife shave off a little of the fabric.

Slightly overlap the beginning stitches about 2 inches.

Seal the end with “Fray Check”. Let dry. Trim off the thread tails.

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Double Layer Napkins

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Place 2 circles wrong sides together.

Make sure one circle’s straight grain matches the other circle’s bias grain.

This will minimize flared edges.

You can also apply slight differential feed to eliminate flared edges.

Or you might want to baste the two layers together to help hold them while you finish the edges.

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Serge Finish Edges With A Serger

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A rolled edge works well on light to medium weight single layer napkins.

A rolled edge may not work on the double layer fabrics or heavier fabrics. Test it first.

Try using a narrow satin balanced stitch instead.

Note: If you get the “Pokies”, try wrapping the napkin bias edges in Solvy (a water soluble stabilizer) and then serge. Wash the Solvy away when finished.

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Conventional Machine Satin Stitch Finish

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If you don’t have a serger, you can use your conventional sewing machine.

Finish the edges with a satin stitch sewing in from the edge using a stabilizer such as water soluble Solvy.

You may want to spray starch the napkins again before stitching. It might help.

You can apply “Fray Check” to the outside of the stitching when you are finished to seal the edges.

Let it dry and then trim off any excess fabric.

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Fold and press the napkin into a Christmas Tree Shape.

Here are the folding instructions.

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1. Fold the napkin in half and press well. We will call this fold the center fold.

2. Fold again into quarters and press lightly. This is a temporary crease that we will use as a guide to establish the fold we actually want.

3. Open back up to the 1/2 fold again and measure 1-1/4″ above the temporary quarter foldline.

4. Fold the napkin “back” along the 1-1/4″ new line (the one above the quarter fold) and press well. We will call this fold, Fold A.

5. Now you have a fold at the top, (Fold A) and the lower part of the center fold to your right.

6. The upper part of the center fold that you just turned down, we will call Fold B.

7. Take the top Fold A and bring it over to meet the center fold edge to your right and press in place.

8. Now bring the upper portion of the original center fold (Fold B) over on top of Fold A and to the lower portion of the center fold edge and press again.

Voila! There you have a Christmas Tree.

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Decorate your trees

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Add a bow, jingle bell, decorative Christmas button or whatever at the top of the tree if desired.

Embroider each family member’s name on his/her napkin.

Use decorative stitches, paint or decorate your tree napkins any way you like.

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More Ideas For Smaller Trees

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Consider making smaller circles into trees, add a ribbon loop at the top and use them to decorate packages or to hang on your Christmas Tree as ornaments.

Use up lots of that stash! It is easy!

Or, how about letting the kids cut some circles from paper napkins and have them decorate their trees with crayons, stickers like stars, glitter glue, etc.

They could give them to family members, classmates, teachers, etc., use them on packages, hang them on the big tree, or use them as place cards at the dining table.

Be creative. You are the designer. Have fun making your Christmas Tree napkins!

It just makes sense!

Happy Holidays!

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© 2005 Marian Lewis – All Rights Reserved

1st Step To Sewing Success

Spyware Removal Programs Resistors Ohms

Removing a large sycamore tree next to powerlines in Ballwin, Mo.

Corian

It’s the design revolution your poor back and arms have been waiting for! An ergonomic, lightweight backpack mounted petrol-powered gardening system, allowing you to work without hand-carrying the engine around! Mounted on an incredibly comfortable, fully adjustable, padded and vibration dampened backpack, you simply plug any accessory into its flexible hand-held control handle and you’re ready to tackle everything from hedge trimming, light or heavy tree pruning, grass or bramble trimming or even ground cultivation! There are five easy-fit accessories to go with your power unit; a 180degree angle-adjustable hedge trimmer, a branch cutter chainsaw (both of which can be used with an optional 1m extension pole so you can cut hedges and branches without needing a ladder), a bump feed twin line grass trimmer, a brush cutter and a tiller / cultivator.

Workmen’s Comp Commodity Fund

Forests are known to be the place where you can find a variety of species of flora and fauna and are sustained through natural propagation. The sad fact is that the forest areas are slowly decreasing because of the continuous logging for lumber without replacing the trees with new ones. Timber companies employ a tree removal process that entails physical removal of trees that are badly formed or have hollow stems. This process ensures that the trees being grown pass the quality standard for lumber production. A known benefit for this procedure is that it limits the invasion of a species of bird that infests the nests of other birds while a disadvantage would be the inability for cavity-dwelling birds and animals to propagate.

In essence, tree removal disrupts the structural architecture and microclimatic diversity of the habitat in place. The effects of this type of activity are directed on animals which include the reduction of refuges for feeding, defense, breeding, nesting and other social behaviors. It has been noted that habitat fragmentation may have a significant effect on the densities of reptiles and amphibians. Once a habitat is changed, it gives a domino effect to the animals involve, including us humans. A noted effect of the change is the decreasing number of species of animals that you can only find in a certain type of habitat. The disruption can also cause certain plants and animals to mutate as their way of adjusting to the change in habitat climate and structure.

The term deforestation is somewhat most often linked with tree cutting, providing a negative notion on the term. Depending on mode of tree removal and subsequent land use, conversion from forest to terraced agriculture could prove more beneficial in terms of soil conservation than leaving the area under forest. This benefit is proven to be most useful to farmers who are in need of arable land for growing of crops. It is incorrect to use this term to relate any changes to the forests if it fails to take into account the extensive research on forest quality, canopy, ground cover, and the dynamics of rain-drop impact. Entirely, the perception of the people on tree removal is dependent on the mode and land used to replace the forests but because of its linkage to deforestation, the negative notion has stuck.

Trees grow best in unattended conditions as they are built to withstand climate changes. They learn to adapt to the changes in the environment for their survival but when the changes become too abrupt and rapid, their adaptive nature goes haywire, causing them to wilt and eventually die. As much as possible, trees need to be taken care of in a neighborhood setting. Tree removal has become an activity where professional help is required to ensure the safety of the people and at the same time a backup plan in case of accidents it will cause. The timely pruning and removal of limbs and branches are beneficial to both citizens and to the environment. As long as everything is done in moderation, tree removal is not a bad thing after all.

Outdoor Flood Light

Trees are considered important to any landscaping project but they can also damage lives and properties. Trees never send out a warning before falling or splitting that is why once the damage has been done, homeowners find it hard to recover from it. Diseased, damaged and dead trees are more likely to fall during high winds or a storm. Once a tree’s branches hit windows and power supply line, this causes serious power outage and accidents.
Tree removal in Atlanta Ga and tree trimming in Atlanta are two of the most dangerous activities in the area of landscaping for these pose numerous risks.
Tree removal in Atlanta, Georgia can cause bodily damage from improper removal techniques and lack of necessary equipment. Even the most ardent will probably want to defer to the expertise of a company that offers tree services in Atlanta. How does one, however, locate a reliable tree service in Atlanta? Heed these pieces of advice in order to find the most reliable tree service:
• Contact your local business code for a certified tree service company.
• Word-of-mouth works on this one. Ask your neighbors or friends for someone who fits the job. Tree services worth hiring will benefit from word-of-mouth and will be glad to provide a list of phone numbers of their satisfied clients. Don’t be afraid to ask for references from tree services if this will grant you the peace of mind.
• Be careful of companies requesting for advance payment or insisting to begin the project without planning or making the proper estimate. As a customer, you should demand for a written contract wherein the job description and project costs are clearly stipulated. You’ll know if a tree service company is reliable if it does not object to a written contract.
• Take note that tree removal is a dangerous work, so the tree service company should possess sufficient insurance coverage. Request to see certificates of liability and worker’s compensation insurance. Make sure that all documents presented to you are current. Phone the insurance company to verify current policy information.
• How prepared is the tree service company to take appropriate action in the event of a mishap or accident? This is a blatant question you have to address to the company. Should a tree service be performed amidst a dangling utility lines, the team at work must be properly dressed, armed with the proper equipment and have a licensed electrician to address any wires pulled at the entry of the structure.