Into the Woods
This month’s theme is “Into the Woods”, depictions of forests, nature or the feelings that the woods create. The basic block is a forested block made with flying geese. These “geese” units use last month’s technique for half square triangles and is versatile. The stretch block invites you to make your own trees however you wish.
Forest Block
7½” x 9″ finished size
Read all directions before starting
Supplies:
- Fabric scraps for the a background, trunk and tree. The sky should contrast well with the trees. There are a lot of patches but they are quick to cut if you use the strip method I outline.
- A pencil or marker that shows up on the sky fabric.
- Here is the graph design if you like a visual plan:
Instructions:
Amount | Strip width | Patches | Patches | Patches |
7″ | Sky – 3½” |
(1) 3½” x 2½” | (1) 3½” x 2″ | (2) 3½” x 1½” |
31″ | Sky – 2″ |
(12) 2″ x 2″ | (2) 2″ x 1½” | (2) 2″ x 1¼” |
29″ | Sky – 1½” |
(1) 1½” x 5″ | (10) 1½” x 1½” | (2)1½” x 1¼” |
13″ | Big.Tree-3½” |
(6) 3½” x 2″ | ||
8″ | Sm. Tree – 2½” |
(5) 2½” x 1½” | ||
9″ | Trunk – 1½” |
(1) 1½” x 3½” | (2) 1½” x 2″ | (1) 1½” x 1″ |
Using the chart above, pre-cut your fabrics into strips to the width indicated. Your fabric can be several small strips that add up to the length indicated in the left column.
- Cut patches from the strips of fabric. The
number in () indicates how many to cut.
- Trim one of the 1½” x 2″
trunk pieces to 1″ x 2″. - Draw a diagonal line on all the [2″ x 2″] and [1½” x 1½”] sky squares.
- Take all your [2″ x 2″] squares and the six big tree rectangles to the sewing machine. Place a square on the end of the rectangle and sew just to the outside of the drawn line (the sewn line should be closer to the outside corner than the marker line by a thread’s width. This leaves room for folding). Do this for all six tree rectangles.
- Fold the sky square over on each tree rectangle and finger press. The edges should all match the edges of the tree rectangle. If the sky fabric overhangs the edge, simply trim it off. Next trim off the bottom two layers of fabric leaving a ¼” seam or less. (the two trimmed layers are one tree and one sky).
- N
ow place another square on the other half of the rectangle making sure that the line overlaps the sky square in the center. Sew and repeat for all blocks. Fold over and trim just like you did on the first side. You should now have six finished “geese” units.
- Repeat this same process for the five smaller tree units and the ten 1½” squares.
- Sew the large tree unit into two sets of three and the smaller ones into a set of three and two. The tree tops are done.
- Take the [1½” x 3½”] trunk and sky patch and sew together on the 3½” length. This is the trunk for the center large tree.
- Take the [2″ x 1½”] trunk and (2) sky patches and sew together on the 2″ length. Trunk fabric in the center. This is the right panel trunk.
- Take the [1½” x 1] trunk patch and two [1½” x 1¼”] sky patches and sew on the 1½”length with trunk fabric in center. This is the smallest tree’s trunk.
- Take the thin [1″ x 2″] trunk and both [2″ x 1¼”] sky patches, sew on the 2″ length with trunk fabric in center. This is the left panel tree.
- Layout all your units and the leftover patches to match the picture on the right.
- Sew:
-The smallest tree to it’s trunk.
-The sky skinny strip to the large center tree top.
-The center large trunk to the smallest tree / trunk unit.
-The trunks to the tree tops and the sky patches to the tree tops on the outside two trees. - You now should have three panels. Sew them together and the block is done.
- If making a quiltlet add a border fabric and complete as in last’s month’s block.
Stretched Forest Block
Make your own tree blocks using your method. Here is my example and some patterns from former guild members like Rana Heredia and Patricia Pepe.
Out of the Box – “Into the Woods”
Make a quiltlet depicting the woods or the feelings you get from being in a forest.