Easy Corner 6" Tree Block Tutorial...

Good morning lovely quilters! I have yet another tutorial for you.

It's the very traditional vintagey tree block:)

YaY!!!

I love tree blocks because I love trees...

but they can be tricky because

the trunk shape of the tree often

use complicated template shapes.

But not this way!...of course I like to use easy corners on my tree blocks too:)

I cut 18 - 1 1/2" scrappy squares

and 18 - 1 1/2" background squares for the half square triangles and

2 - 1 1/2" red squares.

I cut a 4 1/2" red square and gingham square…

and 2 - 4" background squares. 

 Lay them out on your

mini design board

the order which you would like to sew them together.

My leaves are colorful and scrappy...

inspired by the upcoming season of Autumn.

Don't forget to snap

a quick picture

of the layout so that you can

refer back

to it later:)

With a stack of your

background fabric squares...

 you will make all of the colorful squares into half square triangle leaves.

Remember that I showed you how

here.

After you have trimmed all of the excess...press towards the dark triangle.

Referring to your photo

for correct placement ... lay your 

cute little/just sewn 

half square triangles back onto your

mini design board.

Let them sit together patiently and

get to know one another

while you construct the trunk:)

FYI…another lesson on drafting…

if you are making a 6" finished size block, you will need to cut the

trunk square (mine is red) 4 1/2" x 4 1/2".

You will use 2 of your background squares for each side of the trunk.

Cut each of them 1/2" smaller (4" x 4")...

for a 1" wide trunk.

Lay the smaller square on top of the

larger square with RST...

And stitch from corner to corner of the background square.

Like this.

Trim...

And press towards the triangle.

Now repeat the same process for

the other side.

Now take your other 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" square that will be the body of the tree

(mine is red gingham)...

And lay it on top of the square that

you just completed...

(they should be the same size)...

And stitch from corner to corner...

making sure that you are stitching

 across the trunk!

Trim off the excess leaving an

approximate 1/4" seam allowance.

Press it towards the gingham ...and

 you have a tree trunk!

yay!

Back onto the design board to join 

 the half square triangle leaves:)

Delete your last picture and snap a

new updated version:)

Begin sewing the HST's together by two's.

I like to press my seam allowance open with pieces this small...it reduces alot of bulk and makes a smoother, flatter block.

Back onto the design board for accurate

color placement... and to make sure they

are all pointing the right way!

Then join them into four patches and

press the seams open.

When you are doing a quilt block with this many pieces...don't get discouraged!

The steps are simple and they just take time.

With each step complete...you can see the block taking shape.

Now you can see where it's possible to stitch the leaves to one side of the trunk.

Press this seam toward the trunk

instead of open.

Now for the last seam...

Press it towards the trunk also.

And there you have it...

 a cute tree block!

(made up of 42 pieces...lol)

Do you like it?...

your very own cute and tiny

little work of art:)

Fabric Used:

White = Redwork Romance

Gingham = Sew Cherry

Red = Sew Cherry

HST = My Stash:)

Have a wonderful weekend my friends!

I will be traveling a few hours away

to beautiful Logan,Utah for a nice long weekend with the wonderful Mr. Honey.

I'll type at ya when I get back:)

xx

Lori