Flour Sack and Burlap Tree Topper

I’ve been plotting and planning a tree topper idea for weeks.  I finally got around to making it last night.  I wanted something natural and rustic and “homespun” looking.  You know, to go with the whole “Carolyn Ingalls Christmas Tree” theme!

This is what I came up with:

I tried to think of supplies they might have had available back in those olden days.  This is what I used:

A cardboard star, warm and natural batting, a flour sack dish towel, and a paper towel tube.  They didn’t make it into the picture, but I also used spray adhesive, heat and bond,  hot glue gun, and the burlap trim from a coffee sack.

Honestly, I have no idea if any of those supplies were available in the Little House on the Prairie days, but sometimes I like to pretend.

Here’s how I made it:

1.  Adhere the warm and natural batting to front of star with spray adhesive.

2.  Spray a thin amount of spray adhesive to the warm and natural batting and adhere the flour sack towel to it.

3.  Cut the flour sack around the star leaving a border of about 1 inch.

4.  Carefully clip corners and glue down on back side with hot glue gun.

5.  Iron on center burlap star that has heat and bond on the back side of it.  {Heat and bond on burlap makes it so much easier to work with!}

6.  Glue on burlap trim and paper towel tube that has been cut to size.

It won’t be beautiful on the back side ~ but that’s ok!

7.  To cover up the back a bit, I covered the center part with flour sack and the top and bottom with burlap.

It’s still not beautiful on the back…but that’s ok!

I left the postage stamp label from the coffee sack edging on purpose.  I think it looks kinda neat.

The “flower” on the front of the star is a knotted strip of flour sack glued down with hot glue.

Now it’s happily perched on the top of our tree.

I’ll try to be back tomorrow to show you the whole tree.  I think I’m going to call it done…If not, I might be crafting til Christmas!