Thursday, August 1, 2019

Vintage Block Along - Week 27 - Shade Tree Block!!


Welcome back to the 
Vintage Block Along
Today I'm sharing another block 
with you from my grandma's patterns:)


Traditionally this vintage block
 is called
Tree of Life
But I'm choosing to call it 
Shade Tree


Grandma had a big...
I could even say huge tree 
in her yard that must have been
 very old to get that big.

She always called it the shade tree.
That's where we went 
to have our picnics...
to count behind during hide and seek...
for shelter from the rain 
when we were playing outside 
and of course when we wanted some shade.

Trees have always been important to me...
I just simply love them.
As a girl I was known to 
climb all the trees 
but grandma didn't want us
 to climb in this one.
It was so big and tall and 
she didn't want us to fall out 
and get hurt...
and to be honest we would have 
needed a step ladder to reach
 the lower branches to climb it.

There were always birds singing 
on the branches and building nests 
in it and I even remember 
that sometimes wild peacocks
 would find their way
 to grandma's tree and roost in there:)
It was always fun to watch for them
 to fly out and fan their feathers.



Because this is a scrappy happy block 
I got to use lots of prints from 
Farm Girl Vintage


I cut 16  different  3 1/2" squares
 and cut 2 - 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles
 to use for all of the leaves.


From the red chicken tracks 
background fabric cut:
5 - 6 1/2" squares
17 - 3 1/2" squares


From the trunk print cut:
1 - 6 1/2" square
3 - 3 1/2" squares


Begin by setting aside 2 of the
 3 1/2" squares from the 16 
that you cut so that 
you have 14 remaining.

Grab 14 of the 3 1/2" background squares 
and pair them up to make
 14 half square triangles.


Mark a line or use the 


Sew from corner to corner...


Trim off excess leaving an 
approximate 1/4" seam allowance.
Of course I cut 1 1/2" squares
 from my trimmings and added them 
to my 1 1/2" scrappy squares bin. 


After pressing open...
you should have 14 half square triangles
 that measure 3 1/2" square.


Now take one of those half square triangles...
and one of the 3 1/2" squares 
that you set aside and 
one of the 3 1/2" x 6 1/2" rectangles.

You will sew them together like this...


And grab the remaining
 rectangle and square...
along with another half square triangle 
and sew another 
segment together like this.


This is what your two segments
 should like like.
They should both measure 6 1/2" square.


Mark a line from corner to corner
 on two of the 6 1/2" background squares.

Lay them on top of these 
two segments and sew a big 
easy corner triangle onto each one....


Like this:)
Trim and press.
Set these aside and 
let's make 4 more segments fo the tree.


Use the 12 remaining 
half square triangles and 
3 background squares and 
one trunk square to make
 these four segments.


Each of the 4 segments should
 measure 6 1/2" square also.


Now take 2 of the 
large background squares and 
2 small trunk squares...


And sew an easy corner triangle 
onto each one like this.


Make a large half square triangle
 from these 2 remaining squares.


Mark a sewing line onto
 the wrong side of the 
background square first.


Trim off excess 
(and cut into squares)


And press open.
This should also measure 6 1/2" square.


Now all of you segments are completed
 and you can lay them out like this...


And sew your Shade Tree block together!


Here's the back of mine:)


YAY!!
You grew a tree!


SHADE TREE
should measure 18 1/2" square
 before we sew it into our quilt.


I really wanted to make this block big 
to represent Grandma's tree:)

Thanks so much for chatting with me
 about my grandma this week:)
Come back next week 
for another of
 grandma's vintage quilt blocks!
xx
Lori


If you are just joining us...
click on each block that we have
 done so far to go to the tutorial:


8. Humble
15. Memory
19. Picnic
20. Sparklers
26. Parade



4 comments:

  1. Love this block and your story, Lori! Thank you for whittling this block down to size for me. I've often seen it and admired it, but just saw all those HST pieces and thought 'whoa' - too hard, but your tutorial breaks it down wonderfully. Now I want to make a few of those blocks. It is so pretty - love it!

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  2. Your shade tree block is cute as a bugs ear in your fabrics! I love all your inspiration from your grandmother, so very sweet. Just recently found your sew along. The blocks are very appealing, may have to make them!

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  3. Your tutorial is really great! I'll definately be making these!! Thanks.

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  4. I love your patterns and the memories of grandmother. She was a great lady

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