There’s something lovely about receiving a handmade Christmas card. A little texture, a handwritten message and the thought that someone has taken time to make it just for you.
This easy festive project turns small pieces of fabric into colourful Christmas trees. You don’t need perfectly straight edges or immaculate stitching. The frayed threads and mix of colours are all part of the charm.
Start with our linen scraps
We’ve put together a Christmas card-making kit especially for this project, so you can enjoy making your own fabric Christmas cards at home. Pair it with the step-by-step guide below to create a little collection of handmade cards, each with its own character.
Pick your favourite combinations for your cards, then save the remaining pieces for gift tags, festive decorations and other small sewing projects.
Shop our linen fabric scrap packs
Linen selvedges work beautifully too, with textured edges that add to the handmade finish. If you’re using fabric offcuts, cut narrow strips and gently fray the edges for a similar effect.
Put the kettle on, gather your fabric and enjoy a little Christmas making.
What you’ll need
- Linen selvedges or fabric scraps, cut into strips roughly 1.5cm wide
- Fabric scissors
- A sewing machine and thread, or a needle and thread for hand sewing
- A sheet of A4 card, or a ready-folded blank card
- PVA or fabric glue suitable for sticking fabric to card
- A pencil, fine marker or glitter pen
- A paper triangle template, if you’d prefer not to cut freehand
How to make your fabric Christmas card
1. Choose and cut your fabric
Gather a selection of fabric strips in colours you like. Cut them into roughly equal lengths, a little wider than you’d like the widest part of your finished tree to be.
Lay them out and have a play with the order of the colours before you begin sewing. There’s no need to stick to traditional Christmas reds and greens: mustard, soft blue, natural linen and navy look beautiful together too.
2. Stitch the strips together
Slightly overlap the long edge of one strip with the next and stitch them together in a straight line. Keep adding strips until you have a piece of joined fabric large enough to cut out your tree.
Don’t worry about making everything perfectly neat. Uneven edges and visible stitches give each card its own character. You can use a sewing machine or work by hand, whichever you prefer.
3. Cut out your Christmas tree
Cut a simple triangle from your joined fabric, using a paper template or cutting by eye.
Make sure it fits comfortably on the front of your card, leaving room for a star above and a Christmas message alongside.
4. Stitch around the edge
Sew around the edge of your triangle to help hold the strips together and limit further fraying. Keep the stitching relaxed rather than trying to hide it: it’s part of the handmade finish.
5. Attach your tree to the card
Fold your A4 sheet of card in half, or use a ready-folded blank.
Position your fabric tree on the front, then glue it in place. Use a light, even application of glue and leave it to dry according to the glue’s instructions.
6. Add the finishing touches
Draw a star or an angel above your tree and a little trunk or pot beneath it.
Add “Merry Christmas”, a favourite festive phrase or a few words of your own. Then all that’s left is to write your message inside.
Make each one a little different
Once you’ve made your first card, try changing the colour combinations or cutting taller, narrower trees. Our finished cards each have a slightly different mix of linen strips, which is what makes them so lovely together.
You could also use the same technique to make other simple festive shapes, such as baubles or stars. Keep any smaller offcuts for gift tags.
Ready for a little festive making? Choose a linen scrap pack and create a collection of Christmas cards, each one a little different.