QAF December BOM 2004

QAF Block of the Month

December 2004

Trees

6 1/2" (unfinished), 6" (finished)

December's block, as promised, is the second part of the two-part pattern that Shaka and I teamed up to design for you. It is a Tree, or rather, a whole forest of pines. You can make your favorite, take your pick, or make some of each. You may wish to team up this month's block with last month's block for the Cabin in the Pines Quilt for a rustic holiday quilt for your home. How to do this will be discussed below the BOM directions. For the Block of the Month lottery, you will have one chance to win for every tree you make and enter.

This is a VERY simple block to make, no matter which tree you choose. The trees are raw-edge sewn onto a simple pieced background.

Dig out some of your green fabric scraps, and a tiny bit of brown, and then, some light to medium blues for the backgrounds. The trees will look good in green holiday fabrics, and in plaids, TOT greens, etc.

Read through all the directions before you start, and remember to have FUN with the tree-tops!!!

For each block:

Cut 2 pc. 3 1/4" x 2" of light to med. blue fabric

1 pc. of that same blue 6 1/2" x 5"

1 pc. brown trunk fabric 2" x 1"

For the tree, you will need a med. to dark green print approximately 5" square, which you will cut/shape into a triangle(s).

To Assemble your block(s):

Lay out the 4 rectangle shaped pieces as they appear in the tree blocks above. Sew the 1" x 2" brown strip between the two 3" x 2" blue strips, for the 'ground'. Press to the tree trunk. Next, sew the 'sky' piece, 6 1/2" x 5" to the top of the ground strip. Press to the sky. Your block will now measure 6 1/2" square.

Now comes the fun!

There are some things to think about as you cut your trees...you want them to overlap the sky/ground seam by about 1/2", and you need to leave at least 1/2" of exposed background at each side and at the top. Refer to the trees shown above and in the tree quilt below for ideas.

"Growing" these trees is your opportunity to be the artist, choosing the shape(s) and laying them out. Use your imagination, make them plain, make them fun. They are very quick to do, and very satisfying.

Once you have cut your tree piece(s), lay them onto your block as above, and topstitch in place with matching thread, about 1/4" from the raw edges. You can use a straight stitch, or maybe take one of those fancy stitches out for a spin, you know, the ones your machine will do, but you never get around to using. Check your machine tension, too tight and your block may 'shrink'. Make sure your finished blocks still measure 6 1/2" square.

If you are doing a two or three-triangle tree, place the bottom triangle so that it overlaps the seam by 1/2". Topstitch in place as above. Place the next triangle with its bottom raw edge overlapping the bottom triangle by at least 1/2" or more, so it looks pleasing, and topstitch all around 1/4" from the raw edge. Repeat for the third tier, if applicable. Press your block, and you are done!

Now wasn't that fun??? Make lots! Enter in the BOM lottery and win your own forest!

Cabin in the Pines pattern information