Sweater for a Christmas Tree!

Decorating the house for Christmas can get extravagant, but simple can be lovely as well.  In my dining room for the last 3 years, I have set up a minimalistic live pine tree. I have always loved the look of Norfolk pines, and so I buy a Norfolk pine tree early in the season and decorate it with a few vintage ornaments and no lights. (Later in the season I assemble, light and decorate two other trees).

Repurposed Sweater Base for Christmas Tree

I wanted a softer and warmer base for my Norfolk pine tree than the plastic planter the tree came in (despite the super cool jazzy aluminum wrap the store uses...) So I repurposed an ivory cable knit sweater I had that I couldn't wear and couldn't bear give away.

Repurposed Sweater for Christmas Tree Base

I originally thought I would remove the button strip and try to sew a seam, but (genius? or laziness?) it was so much easier to stretch the sweater around the galvanized bucket and tuck the excess material under the nice clean edge that the button strip formed.

Button Detail on the sweater base

Originally, I planned and thought I would place the base so that the button strip would be hidden in the back, and then the beautiful texture of the cable knitting would stand out, like in the photo below. 
 

Repurposed Sweater for Christmas Tree Base

This view (above) seem more sophisticated - but I found that I loved the homey look of the button detailing announcing the origins of the knitting - a repurposed sweater.  I even love the upside down pocket that shows in the picture below.

Pocket and button detail in repurposed Sweater

Incidentally, my friend coached me into placing ornaments in the base to hide the dirt, which makes watering the tree a bit harder but really improves the look. 

Repurposed Sweater Christmas Tree

In Wisconsin, the snowy weather and reflective snow floods the house with light, and the greenery kind of glows all day, cozy with it's little sweater.

Norfolk Pine greens with vintage glass balls

I just love the tactile feel of the Norfolk pine, the feathery greens and the silhouettes of the branches. After Christmas I take down the ornaments and leave the tree up as a house plant. The green tree really brightens the room.

I think a tree like this could make a nice gift for a parent or relative who no longer wants the stress of "decorating"for Christmas.
 
(A quick story: I had my daughter help me pick out the Norfolk pine tree the 1st year, and she named it "Saundra". The tree did not last the summer well for several reasons, so the next year we had "Saundra 2", because the magic tree growers get fluffy trees that have great color, not desiccated and browning branches hanging down but hanging on, like a pointsetta that still insists on blooming through August. The next year we had "Saundra 3". I try to convince the kids that (perhaps) I nursed the tree to glorious health, but they know better. Then I remind them that at least I am keeping them and the dog in better health and shape then Saundra.)

(Story 2, is anyone still reading? I have always loved the cozy look of the cable knit sweaters that seem ubiquitous in old ski lodge movies and ads. So one day I found one, hoping it would transform me into, well, a ski lodge model. In fact, my pasty white skin washed out the sweater, (or was it the other way around?), and the hand knitting had tighter sleeves and it didn't hang right on me, bulging here and there, stretching funny, etc. I think it had the kind of dimensions that wouldn't have worked on almost anyone, but I could not toss out the dream.
I'm guessing I got it at a resale shop, and it stated it was hand knit in Ireland! I tried to wash it carefully and lay it to dry on towels more in the shape it should have been, but ultimately, it epic-ally failed to make me look any thing but washed out and lumpy. I could not toss it, this was my ski lodge fantasy! I'll be honest, I was very hard to make the first cut on the sweater, but I don't think the sweater would have sold well at a resellers. By the way, the sleeves could be turned into small covers for house plant planters, which I have not yet done, in 3 years, although I did keep the sleeves.)

Click on the images to see them enlarged.

If you enjoyed this post you might also like:

NY Windows Part 1

NY Windows Part 2

NY Christmas Part 3

Christmas Hutch 2

Christmas Hutch 1

Mixed Media 1

Mixed Media 2

Angel Window

I am linking up to these parties:
I was featured at Sundays Best, HowtoHome, and Pieced pastimes!

Fabnfunkychallenges: Challenge-460-anything-but-card (Entry 21 of 38.) 

Craftingwithanattitude: Challenge-58 (??Entry 9 of 146.)

Kathleen: Bloggers Pit Stop 199 Th 8p (Entry 77 of 100.)
FromGardners2Bergers: Handmade Hangout 287 Thur 6p (Entry 86 of 91.)
Calypsointhecountry: Best of weekend Fri 7a (Entry 86 of 142.)
Ohmyheartsiegirl: Friday Feature Party 190 (Entry 99 of 153.)
Cottagemarket: A morning cup of joe 5 (Entry 54 of 70.)
Funky Junk: DIY Salvaged Proj Fri 9p (Entry 2 of 26.)
Pieced Pastimes.gr: Saturday Sparks 349 Fri (Entry 77 of 158.)
Pams Party: Dare to share 392 (Entry 22 of 106.)
Little Kimono: Link Party (Entry 7 of 7.)
Classical Home: Homemaking party Wed (Entry 23 of 23.)
Life with Lorelai: Home Matters 259 (Entry 163 of 183r.)
Shabby art: Create-bake-grow-gather 393 (Entry x? of 117x?)
Petals pies + otherwise: Handmade Weekly 26 Fri (Entry x of 117.)
Firemanswife: Fri at the fire station 140 (Entry 42 of 57.)
A Mama Tale" Sundays Best Linkup (Entry 60 of 96.)
Creative Mom: Craft Schooling Sunday (Entry x? of 22.)
Our mini family: Our mini party 253 (Entry 80x of 81.)
Finding Silver pennies: Silver Pennies 336 Sun 6a (Entry 10 of 67.)
Life and Linda:Love you Creativity 19 Sun 3p (Entry 23 of 125.)
Good Random Fun: Good Random Fun 46 Mon 4a (Entry 43 of 49.)
BNOTP: Metamorphis Monday 6a (Entry 36?? of 53x)
Dedicated house: Make it Pretty Mon 318 10a (Entry 1 of 113.)
Uncommon Slice: Inspire Me Mon 2-4p (Entry 61 of 119.)
* Stroll Life: Inspire Me 525 Mon 3p (Entry 24 of 80.)
How to Home: Project Inspired 350 Mon 7pm (Entry 31 of 97.)
Maria Elena: Tue at Our Home 334 Mon 12p? (Entry 66 of 86.)
Thistlekeylane: Tuesday Turn About 26 (Entry 38 of 89.)
    Also My Wee Abode: Tuesday Turn About 26 (Entry 38 of 89.)
Interior frugalista: Talk of the Town 201 Tu 6p (Entry 8 of 76.)
     Also My Repurposed Life: Talk of the Town (Entry 8 of 76.)
Gingersnap crafts:Wow me Tue 430 7p (Entry 14x of 150x)
Girlish Whims: Whims 434 Tues 8:50p (Entry 12 of 126.)
My Random: Anything Goes 214 (Entry 37 of 40.)
Delightsome Life: Home and Garden Thurs Wed 5p (Entry x of 59.)
Create with Joy: Inspire me 409 Mon (Entry 170)
French Ethereal: Share Your Style 233 Wed 6p (Entry 24 of 75.)
Eclectic Red Barn: Thursday Favorite Things Th 7a (Entry 157 of 221.)
    Also KatherinesCorner: Thursday Favorite Things (Entry 157 of 221.)
LeCultivateur: Wonderful Wed(Entry 201r of 247.)
Lindas lunacy: Making-a-home Tue 139 (Entry 27 of 34.)
The Painted Hinge: Farmhouse Friday 129 (Entry 27 of 36.)
Lindsayssweetworld: Hello Monday (Entry 47 of 48.)
Across the Blvd: Beautifully Made Tue 91 (Entry 50 of 62.) 
Mythriftstoreaddiction: Vintage Charm Party-209 (Entry 51 of 58.)
Raggedy-bits: Waste-not-wednesday 186  (Entry 22x of 110x)
Homecraftsbyali: Ultimate-pinterest Fri 278 8a (Entry 16 of 33.)   
Pinjunkie: Pin-junkie Thur 8pm 347 (Entry 16 of 154.)
Apriljharris: Hearth-and-soul Mon (Entry 17 of 169.)
Farmhouse40: Inspire Me Mon 256 (Entry 28 of 111.) 

Myslicesoflife: Encouraging-hearts-and-home (Entry 61r of 105.)

365714