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Block of the Month 2013
Trees, Trees, Trees
2013 Block of the Month
75” x 89” Twin
Well, it’s a new year and definitely time for a new quilt. This time I am including cutting and assembly directions as well as diagrams to help you in the construction of this quilt. I hope you have as much fun stitching this as I had designing it.
First you need some fabric yardages:
Backgrounds – 2 yds.
Sashing – 2 ¾ yds.
Framing, Border 1, and Binding – 3 yds. This assumes you want to frame all the blocks with the same fabric. They would also look lovely if framed in different colors. Just a thought.
Border 2 – 2 3/8 yds.
Scraps for the trees and all the “filler” items in the sashing strips. The largest tree is 8” x 14”.
Backing – 5 yds.
Batting – must be at least 79” x 93”
Four of the designs started life larger than they will print out on your computer. The trees for January, May, July, and September (B) must be enlarged. Enlarge January 157%, May 159%, July 120%, and September (B) 121%.
February has two trees – one larger, one smaller. Use the larger tree in the middle with a smaller one on each side. That means you will have a horizontal block. Another horizontal block shows up in October.
A few of the months there are two blocks. April, August, September and October each have two trees. They go on separate blocks as shown in the diagram.
Several of the trees have faces and hands (my husband loves these). If, however, that little touch of whimsy is not your “thing”, just leave them off.
There are also two pages of what I call “filler”. In certain areas of the quilt the sashing is quite large – empty spaces just crying for a star, a heart, a bow, a candy cane, or a Christmas ball . . . or two . . . or three. If the bows don’t fit well in a particular space, just change the position of the “ends”.
Okay. Let’s get all that cutting out of the way.
We’ll start with the background pieces. Cut them according to the first number given. Then after you have completed the applique‘, trim the block down to the second number (the one in parentheses).
Block #1 (September) 8 x 13 (7 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #2 (April B) 9 x 13 (8 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #3 (October B) 7 x 9 (6 ½ x 8 ½)
Block #4 (November) 10 x 13 (9 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #5 (August A) 10 x 13 (9 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #6 (January) 11 x 14 (10 ½ x 13 ½)
Block #7 (September B) 8 x 15 (7 ½ x 14 ½)
Block #8 (October A) 13 x 11 (12 ½ x 10 ½)
Block #9 (August B) 10 x 16 (9 ½ x 15 ½)
Block #10 (March) 8 x 13 (7 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #11 (May) 11 x 17 (10 ½ x 16 ½)
Block #12 (April A) 9 x 11 (8 ½ x 10 ½)
Block #13 (December) 9 x 13 (8 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #14 (February) 16 x 13 (15 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #15 (June) 8 x 13 (7 ½ x 12 ½)
Block #16 (July) 9 x 14 (8 ½ x 13 ½)
Next the sashing:
2 pieces 3 ½ x 13 ½
3 pieces 4 ½ x 14 ½
1 piece 5 ½ x 16 ½
1 piece 2 ½ x 10 ½
4 pieces 3 ½ x 11 ½
1 piece 5 ½ x 18 ½
2 pieces 3 ½ x 14 ½
3 pieces 2 ½ x 13 ½
2 pieces 2 ½ x 14 ½
1 piece 3 ½ x 38 ½
5 pieces 2 ½ x 12 ½
1 piece 2 ½ x 16 ½
1 piece 3 ½ x 18 ½
2 pieces 2 ½ x 11 ½
2 pieces 2 ½ x 17 ½
1 piece 4 ½ x 12 ½
1 piece 5 ½ x 17 ½
2 pieces 4 ½ x 13 ½
1 piece 3 ½ x 15 ½
1 piece 2 ½ x 19 ½
2 pieces 2 ½ x 16 ½
1 piece 3 ½ x 17 ½
The framing strips:
Block 1 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 9 ½
Block 2 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 10 ½
Block 3 – 4 pieces 1 ½ x 8 ½
Block 4 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 11 ½
Block 5 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 11 ½
Block 6 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 14 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
Block 7 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 14 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 9 ½
Block 8 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 10 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 14 ½
Block 9 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 15 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 11 ½
Block 10 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 9 ½
Block 11 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 16 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
Block 12 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 11 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 10 ½
Block 13 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 13 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 10 ½
Block 14 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 17 ½
Block 15 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 12 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 9 ½
Block 16 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 13 ½
2 pieces 1 ½ x 10 ½
And last but not least, the borders:
Border #1 – 2 pieces 1 ½ x 73 ½ (sides)
2 pieces 1 ½ x 59 ½ (top and bottom)
Border #2 – 2 pieces 7 ½ x 75 ½ (sides)
2 pieces 7 ½ x 73 ½ (top and bottom)
I do all my applique‘ on the machine using a blanket or buttonhole stitch set at a width of 2.0 and a length of 1.5. Well, most of the time those are my settings. Sometimes I make those smaller to create a different effect or because the applique‘ piece is on the small side. And of course you can always do it by hand!
When you have finished the applique‘, embellish to your heart’s content: beads, buttons, crystal, decorative stitches, decorative threads, metallic threads, ribbons, silk ribbon embroidery, you name it. THEN send me pictures – I love seeing what people do with my designs.
The diagrams will show you how the blocks combine into units and the units into the completed quilt top. Layer the top with the batting and backing and quilt by machine or by hand. Bind the quilt, and then do the most important thing – sign and date your quilt! I promise you, someday someone will want to know who made this lovely thing and when.
Have fun with these and let your creativity go wild.
In His love,
Nancy
