Mini pipe-cleaner or chenille stem Christmas trees are very old-fashioned indeed! Children have been making them for over 100 years. There are several methods for bending and assembling the limbs of these small beauties and once the limbs have been trimmed with tiny ornaments, the finishing results are perfect for display inside of any dollhouse or on top of a real mantle place within a display.
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| Tiny dollhouse tree |
- The snowflake method - as seen on Martha Stewart here
- The cone and loop method - as seen here by diyhandmade77
- The quick cone wrap method - as shown here on our blog
- The mini trees made with wave chenille stems - as seen at happy-as-a-lark-designs
- The multiple stem assembly method described on this post from beginning to end. This is the same assembly method used when building a feather tree.
Miniature dollhouse trees look festive next to a fireplace, on a mantle or as a little tabletop tree in any nook or corner of doll's room.
Supplies Needed:
- chenille stems (one bag)
- masking tape
- one recycled egg carton
- 10 cotton balls (more or less, depending on size of tree)
- one pencil or one chopstick
- white school glue
- decorative paper scrap for the stand (optional)
Step-by-Step Assembly of The Faux Fir Tree:
- Cut and twist multiple branches for your mini tree. You will need four branches (2 1/2 inch long). Twist around the outer most tip of each branch a one inch length of pipe-cleaner to form two smaller branches on either side of each of the four top branches.
- Cut and twist the next level of branches a little longer with one more extension of side branches in four to five identical copies for every successive addition of branches your tree will have as you work your way down the trunk. Cut and twist all of these branches prior to the entire tree assembly. I made four levels of branches for the white tree shown below. Then I made five levels of simpler branches with fewer limbs extended from each branch for the green table-top tree shown above.
- Reserve one of the branches to be the uppermost top of the tree. This will be attached over the tip of the pencil or chopstick prior to the assembly of the tree's body with masking tape. You may choose any of the branch types from your stock pile for this upper most tree top. This is also a quick and easy way to give your mini tree added height.
- As you begin to assemble your tree remember that is it perfectly acceptable to add or eliminate branches according to your own sensibilities. Fir trees are not perfectly formed by any means; some have very abstract placement of branches. Not every fir is uniformly ''cone shaped'' and if you have one that is less uniform, it will look just as nice decorated for Christmas among your dollhouse things. Bend the tip furthest from the ends that are fashioned for the outside of the tree form down approximately 1/2 inch. Attach this bent portion to the pencil or chopstick trunk using masking tape.
- Then cover the tape either brown paper and glue for a natural looking trunk or white cotton batting layered with glue for a white Christmas tree trunk. Cover the trunk as you go adding more branches to the tree.
- Allow for there to be one to three inches of trunk at the bottom of your tree so that the trunk may be secured inside of a ''stand'' of your own making. Both of my example Christmas trees here have their trunks inserted inside of egg carton cups for stands. Be sure to stuff the inside of these paper mache with foil, shredded paper or cotton balls around the trunk parts within so that this stiff material will hold the tree in place.
- Seal the bottom of the tree stand with a scrap piece of cardboard, tape and glue.
- Cover the stand with decorative paper, trims or cotton if you want the stand to look like ''snow'' packed around the tree.
More American Girls Show Off Their Doll Christmas Trees:
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