SaveA tree skirt is a flat circle with a slit cut to the middle, and the whole project stands or falls on whether the circle is actually flat. Too few increases and it cups upward like a bowl. Too many and the outer edge ruffles.
Part of our seasonal library.
The rule is fixed and it does not change with yarn or hook. In double crochet you add twelve stitches per round, evenly spaced. In single crochet you add six. Every round, without exception, until you stop.
If it starts cupping, you have missed increases. If it starts waving, you have added extra. Both are visible by round eight, which is early enough to fix without losing much work.
Classic scalloped cream
Intermediate12 hours
A plain body with a shell stitch border. The one most people want.
Granny square skirt
Easy15 hours
Squares joined into a circle with a pieced edge. Slowest but entirely portable.
Chunky bulky skirt
Easy8 hours
Super bulky on a 10 mm hook. Half the time of worsted.
Nordic two-colour
Advanced15 hours
Tapestry crochet with a repeating motif. Needs a chart and patience.
Ruffle-edge skirt
Intermediate13 hours
Deliberate extra increases in the last three rounds only, so the ruffle is a choice.
Simple single-colour
Easy10 hours
No border, no motif. Blocks flat and disappears under the tree, which is sometimes right.
Star-point edge
Intermediate13 hours
Eight points worked outward rather than a round edge.
Patchwork scrap skirt
Easy15 hours
Uses every leftover in the house.
Mini skirt for a tabletop tree
Beginner3 hours
A 45 cm version. Good practice before committing to a full one.
Skirt with a drawstring
Intermediate12 hours
A cord through the inner edge so it gathers around the trunk properly.
Sizing
| Tree height | Skirt diameter | Worsted yarn | Rounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabletop, 60 cm | 45 cm | 200 g | 18 |
| 150 cm | 90 cm | 700 g | 36 |
| 180 cm | 110 cm | 1,000 g | 44 |
| 210 cm | 130 cm | 1,400 g | 52 |
Leave the centre hole at least 15 cm across. A stand is wider than the trunk, and a hole sized to the trunk will not go over the stand, which you find out on the day the tree goes up.
Questions
How big should a crochet tree skirt be?
About 60 percent of the tree height. A 150 cm tree wants a 90 cm skirt.
How much yarn does a tree skirt take?
Around 700 grams of worsted for a 90 cm skirt, which is fourteen standard balls.
Why is my tree skirt ruffling at the edge?
Too many increases. A flat circle in double crochet takes exactly twelve per round.
Why is it cupping upward?
Too few increases. Same rule, other direction.
Do I need to cut a slit?
Work it as a slit from the start rather than cutting. Turn at the opening each round instead of joining, and both edges finish neatly.
How long does a tree skirt take?
Eight hours in bulky yarn, twelve to fifteen in worsted.