How to Make a Dowel Christmas Tree
Supplies Needed
24-inch-diameter wooden round8-foot-long, 1½-inch-diameter wooden poleDrill and drill bits1½-inch wood screwSaw1-inch-diameter dowel, cut into six 18-inch lengths and six 14-inch lengths¾-inch-diameter dowel, cut into six 12-inch lengths and six 10-inch lengths½-inch-diameter dowel, cut into four 8-inch lengths, four 6-inch lengths, and four 4-inch lengthsOrnaments
Step-by-Step Instructions
While a DIY Christmas tree may seem daunting, it’s actually quite easy. So easy, you barely need more than one step! Make your own Christmas tree in under an hour with this simple how-to.
Step 1: Make a Christmas Tree Base
To keep your tree standing, you’ll need a rounded tree base. Using a 1½-inch spade bit, drill three-quarters of the way into the center of the wooden round. Insert the 8-foot pole into the hole and secure with a 1½-inch wood screw through the bottom of the round.
Step 2: Add Branches
Mark where you want the branches on the pole. Our tree has 36 pegs spaced approximately 6 inches apart around the length of the pole, with the largest diameter pegs on the bottom and the smallest diameter pegs on the top—just like a real tree. You could mix and match pole sizes to create a more abstract tree. We started 6 inches from the bottom and ended with the top peg 6 inches from the top. Drill peg holes in the pole at a 45-degree angle, using spade bits that are the same diameter as the peg. Insert pegs in the holes, and your tree is built! Try adding a handmade ornament to the tree. Liz Lidgett is the founder and owner of Liz Lidgett gallery and design in Des Moines, IA. Her gallery represents almost 50 artists from around the world and makes a commitment to represent at least 50% women artists. Liz received a Bachelor of Journalism and Bachelor of Art History at the University of Missouri, as well as a Masters of Public Art Studies at the University of Southern California.
