Tree Block Tutorial for Hive 3

Hello Hive 3. This month we'll be making tree blocks for my forest quilt. I've seen a number of tutorials for making this block on the internet and in books, but I've written my own tutorial here. These block go together quickly, and you could make your own forest quilt in time for the holidays.

 

Fabrics

I'm making a forest quilt, not a Christmas quilt, so no Christmas prints. Select true greens, deep greens and dark teals—you can use prints if they read as green—also batiks are fine. For the second color use white, light gray, or a low volume print. Use the whitest white you have—no cream or tan. You'll also need a scrap of gray.

Cutting

Cut an 8-inch by 11-inch rectangle of your green fabric and of your white fabric. From the gray fabric cut two 2-inch by 1 1/2-inch rectangles.

 

Layer the two large rectangles one on top of the other.

Cut a 2-inch strip off the bottom of both rectangles and set these aside.

On the top of the remaining rectangles, make a mark ½ an inch on either side of center.

On the bottom, make a mark one inch in from either side.

Place your ruler on the lower right mark and the upper left mark and make the cut.

Without moving the fabric move your ruler and line it up with the lower left mark and the upper right mark.

Without moving the ruler, move the previously cut piece out of the way and make the cut.

You should now have two sets of pieces—triangle “tree” pieces and two side pieces. Switch the green triangle with the white triangle.

Sewing

Sew the triangle to the left side piece right sides together. Press the seam open.

Line up your ruler with the triangle and straighten the edge. Sew the right side piece to the triangle and left side piece. Press the seam open.

Cut the two 2-inch strips in half and insert the gray rectangles.

Center the gray “trunk” rectangle under the “tree” triangle and sew. Press the seam open.

Repeat with the second set of fabrics and you'll have made two trees. You can leave the trimming to me.

As it worked out, I'll be traveling after Thanksgiving through the middle of December. You can mail your block anytime—the mail will be picked up—but, if I don't receive it before Thanksgiving, I won't be able to acknowledge receipt until after I return.

Thanks everyone and have fun with this block.

JudyB
houseaboveheckcreek.blogspot.com