Home Sweet Home Block – Under the Moreton Bay Fig

Kim Lapacek at Kims Crafty Apple blog is hosting a  quilt along with the theme – Home Sweet Home. I was very honoured to be invited to design a block for the QAL.
Block 7 – Under the Moreton Bay Fig
The requirement for the block was that it had to have a tree or a house or both. I chose both. Using the simple technique of foundation piecing (paper piecing ) and raw edge appliqué I created this block.

Materials
Hint – if you do not have the correct sized fabric, join strips of similar colours to make your own fabric.
Tree and Sky 
Assorted pieces of Green fabric, minimum dimensions 4 1/2″ x 7 1/2″
Assorted pieces of Blue  fabric, minimum dimensions 4 1/2″ x 10″
Grass
Green fabrics:
1 – 2 1/2″ x 12 1/2″
1 – 1 1/4″ x 12 1/2″
1 – 2 1/4″  x 12 1/2″
Leaves
10″ square piece of orange fabric
Tree trunk
7 1/2″ square of brown fabric
Embellishments
A piece of fabric with characters and objects that can be cut out and placed within the block. I chose the house, deer and acorn from the Woodlands collection by Khristian A Howell.

Assembly
Step 1  – Print out the foundation template – Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4. Remember not to ‘Fit to page’ or scale when printing.
Step 2 – Cut out the individual foundation pieces. Use the measurements recommended on the foundations template to cut fabric pieces.
Step 3 – Foundation piece the top half of the block and remove the papers. The block will measure 8″ x 12 1/2″
Hint: There are many tutorials in cyberland teaching the beginner how to Foundation Piece (or Paper Piece). Patchwork planet is a great starting point. 
Step 4 – sew together lengthways the three green grass strips. The block will measure 5″ x 12  1/2″
Step 5 – Join the two halves together.

Step 6 – Trace the tree trunk template found here onto the back of fusible webbing. Cut out around trace line leaving 1/8″ allowance
Step 7 – Press fusible webbing to back of fabric as per manufacturers instructions

Step 8 – Cut out tree on trace line. 
Step 9 – Fuse and cut out other objects to place around the tree and in the hollow of the tree.
Step 10 – Remove paper from backing of fusible web and layer the pieces to be appliquéd on the block. When you are happy with the placement, fuse shapes to block.
Hint – use appliqué glue to secure the tiny pointed edges of the tree trunk. 

Step 10 – Trace 12 leaves onto fusible webbing. Cut out leaving 1/8″ around trace line.
Step 11 – Fuse leaves to back of orange fabric and cut out on trace line. Peel off backing paper.
Step 12 – Position leaves on tree and fuse according to manufactures directions.
Step 13 – Using matching threads and a smaller stitch, sew 1/8″ inside appliqué shape to secure the piece.
Hint – You can also use thread to add veins to the leaves or texture to the tree trunk. Try embroidery floss or perle cottons to add texture.


FInished block size 12 1/2″ x 12 1/2″

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