Fabric Covered Tree Cones

Instructions and Pattern

The Creativity Exchange
www.thecreativityexchange.com

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 1

 Fabric Covered Tree Cones
----------------------
Copyright policy: Information, patterns and images within this instruction manual are for information purposes and for the purchaser
only. The instructions and pattern(s) may not be sold, copied, distributed, or shared without permission from the author. Items made
using this instruction manual and pattern(s) may be created and sold in limited production only after obtaining permission and purchasing
licensing from the author at cyndy@thecreativityexchange.com

Thank you so much for purchasing the Fabric Covered Tree Cone Tutorial and Patterns. This project has truly
brought me so much joy over the years and I am thrilled to now be able to share the patterns/templates and
detailed instructions with you. I hope that you too will enjoy this project as much as I have!

Cyndy

Required Materials
 Standard (28 x 22 inches) lightweight poster board-
 Heavy weight poster board does not work very well and it is ideal to use
lightweight poster board. Heavyweight poster board is usually labeled
“heavyweight” and it is more expensive ($1.00 or more per sheet). Lightweight is the
most common weight sold at craft stores usually for 2-3 for $1.00. Lightweight is not
usually labeled and you can feel a clear difference in thickness between the two.
 The number of sheets you will need of poster board will depend on how many tree
cones you want to make. You will need 4 poster boards to create your master
templates for the cones.
 The large cone requires: 1 sheet of poster board
 The medium cone requires: 1 sheet of poster board
 The small cone requires: ½ sheet of poster board
 The extra small cone requires: 1/4 sheet of poster board
 The standard letter/card stock size requires an 8.5 x 11 inch size decorative
paper or card stock
 Spray adhesive
 I prefer to use either Tree House or Elmer’s spray adhesive because it sprays evenly
 Binder clip (very important!) A medium size clip works perfectly.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 2

  Hot glue gun, scissors, scotch tape and black marker
 Fabric for covering the cones
 You can use any kind of fabric for covering the cones. Upholstery fabric, velvet or
cottons work best. Silk fabric will not work with the spray adhesive.
 For covering the large cone, you will need 24 x 29 inches of fabric
 For covering the medium cone, you will need 24 x 25 inches of fabric
 For covering the small cone, you will need 21 x 22 inches of fabric
 For covering the extra small cone, you will 17 x 17 inches of fabric
 For covering the cardstock cone, you will need standard letter head (8.5 x 11)
decorative card stock paper
 Decorative trim and embellishments (optional)

Step 1: Creating Master Templates

Before you can begin making the tree cones, you will need to create your master templates on sheets
of poster board that you can use over and over, project after project. Whether you are making
Christmas tree cones or creating a craft cone for other projects, you will always have five sizes to
quickly trace via your master templates.

1. Before you print out the nine (9) pages of the pattern (at the end of this tutorial), please
double check your print settings and in the box that says “Print Scaling”, choose “None”. If
you choose “Print to Fit” or any other settings, the dimensions of your pattern will be
altered. After you print out the pattern, you will need to cut or fold along the dark border edge
that surrounds the pattern of each page. The border was not designed to be the same size on each
page:

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 3

 2. All nine pages are numbered in the upper left hand side. The order of placemat is left to right
beginning with page #1 placed in the top left corner.
3. Tape the pattern pieces together. Keep in mind that because of the variation in home printers,
your template may have a little overlap. This is ok and will not alter your measurements in any
way. Below is a copy of the pattern:

4. Once you tape your template together, you can see that the pattern is designed for five varying
sizes of cones. The pattern is also designed for you to begin by cutting large cone and tracing
and then cut the medium size cone and trace, etc.. In other words, you will work your way
up from the bottom as you trace each master template onto poster board. Because the top
part of the cone always remains the same, the change in cone size is only in the length. The
pattern and cone sizes that I have designed are strategically spaced for you so that the various
sizes will complement each other when finished.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 4

 5. Begin by cutting along the cut lines right below the words “Large cone”:

6. Take a look at the red “V” at the left side, just above the cut line of the large cone and also at
the top right hand side of the template. You will need to make this cut out the “V” because
this will be your guide for your cone rolling guide line that is explained later on in the
instructions.

7. After you have cut the lines for the large cone pattern, slide a piece of poster board under the
pattern and line your edges to the poster board.
8. With a pencil, trace the large cone pattern to your poster board. Be sure and trace the lines for
the cut out “V” at the side and top of the template as well.
9. Next, cut along your trace lines on your poster board and also cut the “V”’s.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 5

 10. When you are finished, write the words “large” on the poster board because this will now be your
master template for large cone. This is what your new master template should look like:

11. Next, cut along the cut out lines just below the words “Medium Cone” and again, don’t forget to
cut the red “V” on the medium size (see arrows below). This is also how your taped pattern will
look now that you have cut away part of the bottom for your large master template:

12. Trace the medium cone onto a new poster board and be sure and trace the “V” at the top and
on the bottom. Cut along your trace lines on the poster board (cut the “V” at the top and the side)
and write the words “Medium” on your poster board.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 6

 13. Continue repeating the above steps for each size until you finish with the smallest size. These are
now your permanent master templates and it will look like this when you are finished:

Step 2: Making the Fabric Covered Trees Cones

For the following instructions, I will use the large cone as the example and keep in mind that the instructions
are the same for each size. If you just want to make uncovered craft cones for other projects, jump ahead to #
16.

There are two ways to cover your tree cones with fabric. For the purpose of this tutorial, I am providing
instructions for attaching the fabric to the poster board first and then rolling the cone. If you are interested in
learning the alternative way of how to make the cone first and then add the fabric to the finished cone, you can
read the tutorial on my website here: http://www.thecreativityexchange.com/2011/11/fabric-covered-poster-
board-tree-cones-part-2.html. Both fabric covering techniques work well and is a matter of preference.

1. Begin by placing your “Large” master template onto a new sheet of poster board and be sure and line
up your edges precisely and trace with a black marker.
2. Make a mark/dot on your new poster board in the middle and at the edge of your new poster board
exactly where the two “V”’s are on your master template.
3. Next, cut along the lines of the large template that you just traced but this time, do not cut out the
“V” like you did when you created your master template.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 7

 4. With a yardstick or the edge of a sheet of poster board, line up the marks from your “V’s” and draw a
precise line across the poster board from these two marks. This is now your fabric and cone rolling
guide line:

5. It is important to remember that the right side of the line will always be the area that you cover
with fabric on all sizes.
6. Take your fabric and lay it out on table with the backside of the fabric facing you. On the backside of
your cone, make a mark on the top and the bottom of where your guide line starts.
7. Turn your cone template over so the drawn guide line is laying on the backside of the fabric:
8. Pull your fabric around until you have allowed at least one inch or more that extends beyond the
poster board (you will fold over the back side of the poster board later)
9. With a black marker or (ball point pen if you have transparent fabric) trace along the edges of your
poster board onto the backside of the fabric starting and stopping 1/2 inch beyond the marks you made
for your guide line:

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 10. Next, cut your fabric at least an inch beyond your trace lines and ½ inch beyond the marks you made
for your guide line and then lift up poster board and cut where you stopped your trace of your guide
line across the fabric:

11. Take your poster board outside, or in a well-ventilated area and lay your poster board down on a tarp
or on plastic (garbage bags work too) and take a smaller piece of poster board and cover the left side of
your poster board, so you do not get adhesive on the area that will not be covered with fabric. This is
important because you do not want that side sticky so the cone will roll.
12. Shake your spray adhesive really well and begin spraying the right side of your poster board (do not
spray up close, spray at a slight distance, just like spray paint). Spray only the area that will be
covered with fabric. You will want to be sure and spray the edges and cover the board evenly with a
nice thick amount but not totally saturated. You will need to wait 2-3 minutes before going to the
next step in order to give the glue time to turn from spray liquid to tacky glue.
13. Take your glue covered poster board and turn it over so that the guide line on the poster board is facing
the backside of the fabric. Line up the left side of your poster board exactly to the left line on your
fabric and arc the poster board as you slowly roll on to make sure that the fabric does not buckle.
Slowly roll and arc the cone onto your fabric:

14. Do not worry if the fabric buckles or is not straight, you can pull up and move around your fabric from
the glue to adjust. Turn your cone and fabric over and straighten any areas and run your hand across
the fabric to make sure that the fabric is securely on the poster board.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 9

 15. With your hot glue gun, fold and glue the excess fabric to the backside of the board (you can cut 1 inch
slits at the curve part so the fabric will lay flat). When you get to the tip area on the backside, fold it
nice like wrapping a gift. When you get to the bottom left hand corner, cut a little square so the bottom
and the side so it will fold flat.
16. Next, get your binder clip ready and turn the fabric covered poster board over so that the backside of
the cone is facing you and the uncovered part of the board is away from you. Lift up with your right
hand holding the base and your left hand guiding the roll.
17. Roll and adjust as you go along until you can get the base of the cone lined up to where it is flush. It
should look something like this:

18. Once you can see that the base lines up flush and you have the width of the base that you want, clip on
the binder clip to hold the base of the cone together. Do not worry at this point about rolling and
tucking the top part of your cone yet, you will do this in the next step after you have lined up and
clipped your base:

19. Once the base is secure, stand the cone up on the table.
20. Warm up your glue gun.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 10

 21. Tucking the top part of your cone and finalizing your cone shape takes a little practice. I can tell you
what to do but it really just takes you playing with it by pushing, tucking and readjusting the base to
get your desired cone in shape. It’s important to remember that ideally, the guide line on the
poster board is your guide for lining up the edges from top to bottom to pull the cone shape
together. However, because I recommend that your fabric go a ½ inch beyond the guide line (so
you have ample room and flexibility to create varying widths of cone shape that you want), you
may not be able to see your guide line depending on the thickness of your fabric. If you keep in
mind that the edge of your fabric is approximately a ½ inch beyond the guide line, tuck until you
are a ½ inch past the edge of the fabric and you should have a basic cone. For your first cone, you
may want to practice rolling a cone without fabric so you can see the line and get a feel for how the
guide line can help you if you are having trouble getting your cone into shape.
22. I always begin at the top tip of my cone and work my way down. I push in to get the inside of the
poster board to roll a little more and just keep pushing and adjusting:

23. I then work my way down pushing and pulling until I get the seam line of my cone flush. It helps by
using the table like I would with gathering and organizing a stack of papers that are not lined up.
Stacking the base against the table (unclip the binder), which gets the inside of the poster board to
adjust and move around:

24. Once I get the seam flush all the way from the top to the bottom of the cone and I have the desired
cone width, I clip again with the binder clip at the base.
25. Next, turn the cone on its side so you can glue the seam in place.

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 26. Starting in the middle of the seam, take the tip of the glue gun and slide in about a ½ inch and run a
line of glue up to about an inch short of the cone tip. You do not want too much glue that it seeps out
of the seam but you do want enough that it will hold:

27. Immediately slide your arm into the cone and the seam of the cone so that the seam and glue are as
flush as you can get it against the table. Push against the seam for at least 45 seconds. This will make
your seam look very flat and flush.
28. Next after the glue has cooled, unhook your binder clip and glue the base seam. Again, turn over and
slide your hand in and push against the seam and glue. Be careful not to burn yourself. If your glue
is too hot to push against the seam, slide a dish towel into the base and push against the seam.
29. Finish by making sure your tip is how you want it (you can tuck and push in and manipulate it to how
you want it and then glue).
30. Your tree cone is now complete! Congratulations!!

Trim your Trees

1. Now that you have a finished tree cone(s), you have the option of trimming your tree.
2. The possibilities are endless and for extensive ideas and pictures for trimming your tree, you can look
online at my website at www.thecreativityexchange.com
3. When I add trim to my tree cones, I use a hot glue gun to attach.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 12

 4. I love to display my finished trees by sliding over candlesticks, which make it look like the cone has a
stem. The cones rest perfectly over a candlestick.
5. If you want to cover your cone with anything other than fabric, you can follow the steps above
(starting with Step # 16) and roll your poster board cone without fabric and hot glue items like pine
cones, sheet moss, ribbon, feather boas, garland, etc.., to your tree. Again, the possibilities are endless
and these tree/craft cones can be used all year round for other holidays and for use as basic craft cones.
Pre-made craft cones are very expensive and you can save money by simply creating your own basic
craft cone.

Thank You!
Thank you for purchasing the Fabric Covered Tree Cone Patterns and Tutorial! I hope you will enjoy this fun
project as much as I have! I would love to see pictures of your finished cones and I am creating an online tree
cone project library on my website at www.thecreativityexchange.com to show our fabulous tree cones and the
vast array of ways that we can create, decorate and display them.

I love to see pictures of reader’s finished cones! If you’re interested in sending me a picture, please send the
picture to me at cyndy@thecreativityexchange.com and please type “Finished Tree Cones” in the subject line
and attach the image file to the email. I am creating an online project library with pictures of reader’s finished
cones and if you want me to consider including your image in the finished project library, please write me a
little note in the body of the email and state that you “give me permission to use your image and your first
name on The Creativity Exchange website”. I will also periodically be sharing pictures of reader’s finished
tree cones on The Creativity Exchange’s (The Exchange Blog) Facebook page found here
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Exchange-Blog/198197823556746 if you want to follow along with us.

Should you have any questions, suggestions or feedback, you can also email me at
cyndy@thecreativityexchange.com and I will be happy to help you in any way possible. Please keep in mind
that I receive a large volume of emails each day and it may take me a day or two to respond.

I will continue to add new ideas and hopefully more patterns and tutorials for other projects over time in my
online shop. You can keep up with my projects via my website at www.thecreativityexchange.com.

Thank you!

Cyndy

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 13

 *** Disclaimer***
This is a project that requires a basic understanding and comfort level of crafting in general. Basic knowledge of how to
use a glue gun and how to follow and read detailed project instructions is required in order to successfully complete this
project. As with any pattern and tutorial, the success of completing this project is contingent on the purchaser’s ability to
read and follow each step of the detailed instructions. Because this is a downloadable pattern with instructions, without
exception, all sales are final once the purchaser has clicked, opened, viewed and downloaded the images, patterns and
instructions contained in this instruction manual.

Information, patterns and images within this instruction manual are for information purposes and for the purchaser only.
The instructions and pattern(s) may not be sold, copied, distributed, or shared without permission from the author. Items
made using this instruction manual and pattern(s) may be created and sold in limited production only after obtaining
permission and purchasing licensing from the author at cyndy@thecreativityexchange.com.

© Cyndy Aldred Designs, 2012 All Rights Reserved Page 14