The last bucket

 for this year and the light bulb came on!!  But first

A huge thank you to Lindley General Store  

for having the Pellon Fusible Fleece (987F) in stock that I prefer to make these with.  It arrived yesterday and I got right to work.  It really makes a difference in the construction of these buckets.  

I have always wanted the seams pressed open and yesterday I found the trick without creasing the fabric.

I took a cardboard tube (from my Hobbs Heirloom batting),  If you know a long arm quilter she probably has a full tube lying around and will cut you a piece.  Mine is the length of the width of a hand towel.  

Roll the towel around the tube and I jammed straight pins in to hold it.  You can pull your piece up over the towel and press those seams with no fear of creasing the fabric.

Pull the fabric over the towel and press to your heart's content.  All the seams were lying flat when I was done.  Perfect.  The tube was left on the ironing board so I don't have to go through this again.

This is the last one.  I'm finished for this year and just in time to deliver today.  Filling it with candy from our local candy shop for the store staff.   The only thing I would do differently the next time is make the tree larger.  This is a tad small.  Live and learn.