This is a tutorial to make a tree quilt block looking like this:
This block is created using a paper-piecing method, similar to a string quilt. I used two sheets of thin printer paper (cut and taped to be 4 inches x 16 inches each), 13 fabric scraps for leaves, a solid fabric for the trunk, and white for the background.
Step 1. Cut and tape your paper so you have 2 pieces, sized 4 inches by 16 inches. Draw diagonal lines, or fold the paper on the top and bottom where you want the “leaves” to start and end. This will help you line things up when you sew the two halves together in the final step.
Step 2. Make the tree trunk. Sew a row with background to trunk to background. This should be the width of your completed block, plus a 1/2 inch for the middle seam. Then cut the row in half.
Step 3. Using a wide basting stitch, sew the “trunk” halves to the paper above the line you made for the bottom of the “leaves”.
Step 4. Sew on the leaves using a very tight stitch (will create a perforated effect on the paper). Place the fabric face down on the paper and sew along the line you made for the bottom of the “leaves”. When you are done, fold it up and iron it flat. Tip: You’ll want more overhang on the middle side.
Step 5. Continue with your scraps until you reach the top line. Then use your background fabric.
Step 6. Flip over your papers and trim the overhanging fabric off.
Step 7. Put the two pieces of paper together and sew down the middle. The block is complete and you can now carefully tear away the paper from the back.
I will be surrounding my trees with strips of white for a final quilt that looks like this:
Nice one Dallas!! I’m super impressed, it looks even better than I thought it would :)