S'more Rows.5 Paper Pieced Trees

Paper Pieced Trees

(rows 3 & 7)

 

There is nothing like the thrill of making a pieced block that is crisp and neat.  Imagine your points being pointy and the edges looking like they were drawn that way.  That is what paper piecing is all about.

I know that there are those that abhor this process.  Please stick with me...maybe I can change your mind....or not....if you really can't stand the process feel free to make trees following your own method.  Just remember that you need 12 of them measuring 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" square.

Fabric Requirements:

• Background - 1/2 yard - I used Aqua Star bursts (SKU #37075-17)
• Greens - 13" (a generous 1/3 yard) - I used various scraps
• Trunks - 1/8 yard - I used Brown wood (SKU #37079-19)
• Paper - 12 sheets - I used regular printing paper

Cutting Directions:

 For newcomers to paper piecing.  The pattern is broken into sections, annotated with a letter.  Each section is broken into pieces, annotated with numbers.  The numbers represent a suggestion about what order to sew the pieces in.  (For ease of construction I have labeled the cutting instructions to correspond to the pattern.)





In general, you piece the pieces in each section, then piece the sections together to make the block....like a paper and fabric puzzle.  For further instructions please refer to my tutorial.

• Background
• A1 & A3 -
• cut 2, 2 1/2" x width of fabric (wof) strips
• sub cut into 24, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles
• B1 & B3 -
• cut 2, 2 1/2" x wof strips
• sub cut into 24, 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles
• C1 & C3 -
• cut 2, 2 1/2" x wof strip
• sub cut 1 strip into 21, 2 1/2" x 2" rectangles
• cut 3 more 2 1/2" x 2" rectangles from second wof strip
• set remnant , 2 1/2" x 36 ish" aside
• D1 & D3 -
• cut 1, 2 3/4" x wof strip
• sub cut into 24, 1 1/2" x 2 3/4" rectangles
• set remnant, 2 3/4" x 6 ish", aside
• Greens - from scraps
• A2 - cut 12 - 2 3/4" x 3" rectangles
• B2 - cut 12 - 4 3/4" x 2 1/4" rectangles
• C2 - cut 12 - 5 1/2" x 1 3/4" rectangles
• Trunks
• D2 -
• cut 1, 1 1/2" x wof strip
• sub cut into 12, 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" squares
• set remnant, 1 1/2" x 24 ish", aside
• Papers
• When you print the pattern be sure that your settings are as follows
• Fit to printable area - NO!!! 
• Print one page and measure the pattern pieces
• The solid line rectangles should all measure 5" wide.  The rectangle at the top of the page should measure 1 1/4" tall.
• Once you are sure the pieces print out correctly, print the remaining 11 pages.
• Print 12 copies of this
• Cut into 4 rectangles
• according to dotted lines (sections - A, B, C, and D)
• some distance to the outside of the dotted lines.

 

Break Time!!

 

There is no way that I would make a whole quilt out of these little blocks.  I love paper piecing...but not that much!!  It might, however, be fun to make a mini with them.  Imagine the fun you could have decorating the trees?!

 

A mini made from a 2 x 3 grid of these 5" blocks, and bordered with two borders to frame it (1/2" inner and 2" outer) would measure 15" x 20".  You would need few additional fat quarters to finish it.

 

 

and back to the current project....

 

Paper piecing is all about order.  In this case slow and methodical wins the race.

 

Sort your pieces, paper and fabric, in to piles

• Pile A
• 12 paper "A" rectangles
• 12 green 2 3/4" x 3" rectangles
• 24 background 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles
• Pile B
• 12 paper "B" rectangles
• 12 green 2 1/4" x 4 3/4" rectangles
• 24 background 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" rectangles
• Pile C
• 12 paper "C" rectangles
• 12 green 1 3/4" x 5 1/2" rectangles
• 24 background 2" x 2 1/2" squares
• Pile D
• 12 paper "D" rectangles
• 12 brown 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" squares
• 24 background 1 1/2" x 2 3/4" rectangles

 

Sewing Directions:

• Make 12 blocks paper pieced blocks.  If you are new to paper piecing refer to my tutorial for further instructions. 

• Set the blocks aside. 
• They will be combined with next months block to make rows 3 & 7 of the project.
• DO NOT REMOVE THE PAPERS YET.  They will keep your blocks square while awaiting the rest of the blocks for these rows, and assist you in piecing the rest of the row.