Hive 1 January 2026 Tree Blocks for Alanna

 

Coming in under the wire with my Tree Blocks for Alanna.  These blocks were familiar to me, because I made a Christmas quilt a few years ago using the same improv technique:

Happy Forest/Holiday/Christmas Alanna! 

Hive 1 - February Tutorial - Knee-Bend Block for Rita

Hi my lovely Bees!

This month I'm asking for a 'Knee-Bend' Block. I'm sure this has been done before, and I didn't really invent it, but below my take on a traditional tutorial for this.

However, if you prefer to use FPP for this, let me know, and I'll send you a PDF with the FPP pattern for this.

Block Size:

The Block should end up 10" square finished,
which means, it'll be 10 ½” square including Seam Allowance.

Fabric Choice:

My colour inspiration for this is the whole of the colour wheel!
                 Plus either Black or White.

• Colour A) either Black or White, preferably solid, black-on-black or white-on-white is okay

• Colour B) Background:  Choose one Colour from the Colour Wheel

        Any medium colour, all the same, solid or small blender – to read as one colour

Cut:

Colour A) = Black or White:

• One 3 ½” x 4 ½” Rectangle

• One 4 ½” x 7 ½” Rectangle

Colour B) (Background = Colour of your choosing):

• Two 3 ½” x 3 ½” Squares

• One 3 ½” x 7 ½” Rectangle

• One 3 ½” x 10 ½” Rectangle

Piecing:

Use a 1/4" Seam Allowance throughout.

1)    Take the Black/or/White 4 ½” x 7 ½” Rectangle and one of the 3 ½” Background Squares.

Mark a diagonal line on the back of the Background square. Place it (right sides facing) on the Rectangle as shown in the photo below and sew along the marked line. Trim the corner off, to keep a 1/4" seam allowance, then press the seam open or to the side (as you please).

2)    Sew the remaining 3 ½” Background Square right sides together to one of the short sides of the 3 ½” x 4 ½” Black/or/White Rectangle. Press.

3)     Lay the sewn pieces and the remaining Background rectangles out like shown in the below picture and sew the Black/or/White Rectangle with the Background corner to the 3 ½” x 7 ½” Background Rectangle on the long side. Press.

4)    Then sew the resulting piece from step 3) to the piece from step 2) as shown in the picture below. Press.

5)    Finally sew the remaining 3 ½” x 10 ½” Background Rectangle to the side with the 'Corner' as shown in the picture below. Press.

And there you have it! The finished 'Knee-Bend' Block.

 

Hive 3 February Tutorial

Hi All

In America, July 4, 2026, is the 250^th Anniversary of the United States and I’m using that as the inspiration for my block.  I’ve chosen a block that can be done in Red/White/Blue and that I’ll probably either complete as a veteran charity quilt or possibly a picnic style quilt for our July 4^th activities. 

Use the Chain Mail Block Tutorial with my fabric/color and modified cutting instructions or you can follow my basic instructions below.

Here is a pic of the final block.  

Here is a pic of my fabric pull.  Please NO SOLIDS, no batiks, no character or juvenile prints. The white is a low volume that is mostly white with some blue or red and if you don't have that, a white on white.  Some of the low volumes will lean towards cream and this needs to be white.  The Reds are true reds or can lean to orange red. The Blues are darker medium blues and can be lighter navy but please stay away from real dark navy that reads more black.

 

White 2x2 blocks are for the blue and white 4 patches.

Lighter Red 2x2 blocks are for the center (pattern is white) and the outer corners (pattern is peach).

Rather than follow the tutorial specifically, this block is straightforward enough that I just laid out my pieces and then sewed them together.

 

 

Coaching:

If using white on white - be sure to check which is the right side.

For the blue and white blocks - check your orientations to ensure the 4 patches continue the diagonal design.

Chain piecing works well for many of the blocks, just be sure to put them back into their correct orientation.

Be sure to watch your 1/4' seams and measure your final block at 12.5" square - do not trim.  If not the right size, your seams need to be adjusted.

Pressing to dark side for 4 patches allows for nesting seams.  Other seams you may want to do open or whatever your own preference is to ensure a nice flat block.

I hope this all makes sense and I look forward to getting your blocks.  Any questions, just post in the Instagram chat.  I’m there a few times a day and check for messages.

 

Lisa…

Hive 1 January trees for Alanna

 

What a fun block! I couldn't get any decent lighting in my house at the hour I was sewing--they are true to your color scheme in real life. 

I haven't made any christmas quilts, though I've have ideas for a few! I did make some stockings a few years ago. I was especially happy with this one. 

-Julia

Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

Hello Hive 1!  

I love this block - it was so fun to make.  

I couldn’t find photos of all the Christmas/Winter themed quilts I’ve made, but here are a few table runners:

Jane

Hive 1 Christmas Tree block for Alanna

 I love your color scheme for this one, Alanna! I hope these trees fit your vision. They were dropped in the mailbox today and I hope will get to you soon. 

Hive 1 Christmas Tree block for Alanna

 Hello Hive One! 

I sent these blocks off in the mail last week, and I hope Alanna received them well. I went for a Kelly green and bright red. 

I know Alanna asked for a picture of our own holiday quilts, but I have never made one! I leave you instead with a couple of cute pillows I made 2-3 years ago. 

Hive 1 January 2026 Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

 I had already started this quilt last year and then abandoned it, and my color scheme matched Alanna's. So, I made a new set just because and am sending off both. The pink is much closer to a deep hot pink. Enjoy!

Also, since you asked for a photo of our family Christmas quilt. This was the very first quilt I made (and has some of the fabric in your trees). I learned SO much from this little patchwork quilt. It was coincidentally going to be this exact tree pattern that you posted until I decided that I should learn how to sew straight lines before tackling a "real" quilt project. It is well loved and used almost all winter long. Fabric line is Moda's Cozy Wonderland.

Hive 1 January 2026 Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

 

I channeled my inner Bob Ross for these happy little trees :D 

Dropped them off at the post office this morning! 

 --Caitlin 

Hive 1 - January 2026 Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

 Alanna:

Headed to the post office to ship these blocks to you.  Hope this works in the final project!

Cindy

Hive 1 January Christmas Tree Block for Alanna

 

Hi Alanna,

Hope these go, with what you have in mind.

They are in the Post Box and will start their way to you tomorrow.

Happy quilting,

Rita

P.S.:  The only Christmas Quilt I made (kept this one!) is the first of my StashBee quilts 'Wonky Winter'! Got the blocks End of 2020 & finished it in 2022. The Christmas poem on the back 'Knecht Ruprecht' by Theodor Storm is one my mum used to recite to us, when my sisters & me were small.

Ironically, it turned out to be the perfect summer quilt for my bed 🤣.

Hive 1- January Tutorial- Christmas Tree block for Alanna

 Hello everyone and welcome to 2026 Hive #1!

I hope your holiday spirit has not completely burnt out, because for the January block I am asking for christmas tree blocks.

I am travelling with my family for the holidays, and between that and organizing StashBee, I haven't had an opportunity to come up with a new tutorial. So I am repeating my tutorial from 2024, since I could use more blocks as I still have not gotten around to finishing that quilt.

Have you made a christmas/holiday quilt for your family? If so, please include a picture of your own holiday quilt when you post your finished block.

I have 2 little kids (my son just turned 6, and my daughter will be 4 in April).

Their excitement and joy over the magic of the holiday season is so fun, and we are in that stage where we are forming our own traditions and core memories.

I really want to finish a christmas quilt to add to our holiday decor, to snuggle under while we watch christmas movies.

Inspiration:

My inspiration for this quilt is vintage christmas ornaments, and the pink and red stockings my mother-in-law made for our family.

My partner and his mother are Haida First Nations, and there are cultural rules and protocols about what animal crests that you can use. They are part of the raven clan, so his stocking has a raven design.

My kids don’t have their own crest yet, so their stockings only have the buttons and fur, and no design yet. And for me, she made a hummingbird, which is one of the animal crests that don’t belong to a specific clan so she was able to use that for me, a non-indigenous person. 

 

I actually really like pink and red together, and love vintage christmas ornaments that have pink and aqua/turqouise in them as well.

Here are some additional images I found online that represent the vibe/colour scheme

Block Pattern:

I am asking for christmas tree blocks, based on the tutorial by Amy Smart, of Diary of a Quilter. 

https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/modern-christmas-tree-quilt-block/

I am not making any changes to her tutorial in terms of sizing, so the blocks will end up about 7″ x 9″ finished. It might not be exact, because this is kind of an improv block.

Based on the way this block is constructed, you will be cutting and piecing the block in a pair- so you will end up with two blocks that are inverse of each other in terms of colours.  

Fabric Selection:

For this block you need three fabrics:

• 2 colours for the background and trees; and

• 1 brown for the tree trunk

• Medium to dark, chestnut brown is ideal but use what you have (just not a light tan brown though, please)

For the background and trees you can choose 2 different fabrics in any combination of the following colours:

• Pink: 

• Medium to bright pink

• Bright Green:

• Emerald or kelly green

• Avoid olive or lime greens, or any super dark hunter greens

• one of my examples in my fabric pull definitely leans to the light side (the lime green with snowmen)- i dont want anything more yellow or light than that one

• Red:

• Bright, tomato/cherry true reds

• Reds with a lot of white in them are okay

• Please avoid super dark reds, maroons and burgundies, or reds that have a lot of brown or orange in them

• Aqua/turqouise:

• I am looking for a contrast with the bright green, so I don't want something that reads true blue (ie not a cobalt or royal blue) or too mint/green

• A bright teal is okay if it leans towards more blue than green

• 
  

Prints and solids are both great. 

If you are using a print, here are some parameters:

• tone on tone or blenders are great

• novelty prints are great too if they are winter/christmas themed (snowflakes, snowmen, sweaters, ornaments, reindeer, santas, peppermints etc) 

• Please no licenced characters (no mickey mouse, paw patrol,sesame street etc. while my kids love those, I do not want them in my decor)

• Prints that have a combination of the other colours in the quilt, or white, are perfect. Just try to avoid prints that introduce new colours into the quilt

Consider contrast 

When choosing your two fabrics, please try to have some contrast between them in terms of both colour and scale . So for example, if you choose a bright tone on tone green, for colour # 2 choose a lighter pink, or red print with more white in it. Or if fabric 1 is a larger print, choose a smaller scale print for fabric #2.

My Fabric Pull and Colour Inspiration

Here is my fabric pull from my own stash.

I think I may use this fabric as a border around the finished blocks

I found some completed quilts on instagram in a similar colour scheme. Here is one of my favourites. This one has navy though, which is not one of my colours.

Cutting:

Colour 1 (any of the four colours listed above)	Cut (1) 8.5” x 8.5” square Cut (1) 2” x 8.5” strip ***Note: If using a directional print, be careful how you cut this strip- in one of my blocks I have my print going the wrong way for this bottom strip
Colour 2 (a different colour than #1)	Cut (1) 8.5” x 8.5” square Cut (1) 2” x 8.5” strip ***Note: If using a directional print, be careful how you cut this strip (see above)
Brown (tree trunk)	Cut (2) 1.5” x 2” rectangles

Block construction:

Step1:

Stack your two 8 ½″ x 8 ½″ contrasting squares on top of each other. 

This is where the “improv” part comes in.

Place your ruler at an angle and make a diagonal cut.

Pull the fabrics from the first cut away, and make a second diagonal cut the other direction to get your tree shape. 

You can make the tree fat and wide, or tall and skinny, or any combination in between. The more variety across all the tree blocks I receive, the more visual interest the quilt will have.

***Note: Don’t cut your triangle point right at the top of the block – leave lots of room above the point so that there’s room for squaring up and for seam-allowance.

Step 2:

Sub-Cut your two 2″ x 8 ½″ strips in half to make two sets of 2″ x 4 ¼″ strips.

Step 3:

Swap out the ‘tree’ piece and match it up with the contrasting background pieces.

Sew the tree piece to the background side pieces starting with the side of the second cut.

Tip: When lining up your tree piece with the background piece right sides together, place the top corner of the tree ¼” past the edge of the background piece.

Press seam away from tree.

Step 4:

Now sew the side of the background from the first cut to the tree.

Press away from the tree

Step 5:

Once your sides are pieced, square off the bottom so that the edges are straight across.

Step 6:

Sew the two sets of 2″ x 4 ¼″ strips on either sides of a brown 2″ x 1 ½″ ‘trunk’ piece.

Press towards the trunk

Step 7:

Sew the trunks to the bottom of the blocks. (The trunk strips are purposely wider than the tree parts so that you have wiggle room to center the trunk under the wonky trees.)

Press the seam open.

Step 8:

Trim off any pieces hanging off the side.

Do not trim the top. I will do that when I get them all, and trim them all to the same size. 

Repeat for the inverse block, and your done!

Here are three sets I made so far, all mixed up.