I thought that tree satisfied all my holiday-decorating needs, and then I saw Amy Smart’s (Diary of a Quilter) modern Christmas tree quilt block tutorial. It’s quick, easy, and super cute. Soon after its debut, in December 2015, I started setting aside red and green fabrics for my own rendition of Amy’s block, but it took an Instagram quilt-along in the past few months to get me cutting and sewing.
This block is all sorts of fabulous. It produces little waste and is a good way to work through red and green stash. You can get three 8½” squares and the background fabric for the trunk from one quarter yard of fabric (fat or skinny); you can get four 8½” squares and the background fabric for the trunk from a third of a yard. (Those figures presume your width-of-fabric measurement is 40” to 42”. If your fabric is even a little bit wider, you can likely squeeze out another 8½” square.)
Amy’s post offers some good insight on picking fabrics. I took her advice and used some smaller-scale prints as well as some larger-scale ones. I also strove for variety in volume. (I’ll post more detailed pics once I finish the quilt!) The only fabric-related mishap I experienced was forgetting that any color is relative—it can change based on the colors that surround it! I originally slated a more orangey red for this quilt, which looked just fine against the cherry reds I was using. Once that orangey red was sewn up with the greens, though, it looked 100% orange and 100% ick. Those blocks won’t even make it to the back of the quilt. : (
I’m so pleased with this quilt, which will be staying here at From Bolt to Beauty world headquarters, that I’ve started a fabric pull for a second Christmas tree quilt to gift to a friend. Instead of the cherry reds and grassy greens from my first quilt, I’m using pinky reds and yellow greens in my second. I can’t wait to see how the quilt turns out!
Are you into holiday quilts? I have Amy Friend’s (During Quiet Time) Baker’s Dozen quilt at the ready, and I own Pretty in Patchwork: Holidays. And I have written a few holiday tutorials, like my Tree Is Trimmed mini quilt and my Gift Bag for Beer Lovers. If there is a holiday quilting project on your to-do list, I would love to hear about it!
Linking up to Let’s Bee Social and Needle and Thread Thursday ...
I really love the large scale green crosshatch print you used. It looks great and it will be fun to see how the second quilt compares to the first!
ReplyDeletePretty! How are you going to quilt it? Always the question with me, isn't it? :D This year I might finally actually finish a Christmas quilt. I might even finish the tree skirt I started last year... Crazy talk!
ReplyDeleteIt's just such a happy quilt, perfect for the holidays!
ReplyDeleteLooks great! I like that block as well. Too early to think about Christmas...maybe next month....oh wait, September is on Friday. Yikes!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a fun quilt for Christmas. Your version turned out beautifully! I've made 3 Christmas quilts, 2 of which have been gifted. This one is on my list to make at some point.
ReplyDeleteOh how lovely, a perfect Christmas quilt that can be used throughout winter too. You just reminded me of my bee blocks for my Christmas quilt, must get on it is indeed creeping up fast.
ReplyDeleteI am in love with this quilt! I have one finished Christmas quilt and one in progress!
ReplyDeleteHi Michelle,
ReplyDeleteI love your quilt! I am not into holiday quilts - yet. I absolutely LOVE the holidays - all of it - and why I do not have one or many quilts celebrating that is beyond me. I will be remedying that shortly, and your quilt is certainly fodder to get me going. ~smile~ Roseanne
I love this! Your distribution of colors, especially the red, is perfect throughout the quilt. I want to make this one day too!
ReplyDeleteI love this quilt! Good to know about the changes in the red. Now you've reminded me that I wanted to make this quilt, and you've also reminded me that there are only 4 months left. Oops. Maybe 16 months...
ReplyDelete