Riffing on the Tree blocks and Holiday give away!!

THE Holiday Give Away is featured at the bottom of the post!
riff |rif|= noun

(in popular music and jazz) a short repeated phrase, frequently played over changing chords or harmonies or used as a background to a solo improvisation: a brilliant guitar riff.• a monologue or spoken improvisation, esp. a humorous one, on a particular subject: subsequent riffs onthe same themes were hysterical!The inspiration for this post came from these two posts over at Cath Hall's blogspot, Wombat Quilts.  Check out the pix of the tree quilts she posted:http://wombatquilts.com/2015/07/31/just-one-tree-in-the-forest/http://wombatquilts.com/2014/06/19/a-wonky-tree-forest-and-tutuorial/My small quilt group decided to make a quilt for our Guild Auction using the pix on Wombat Quilts as inspiration.  Each of us were going to make 7 blocks and then we'll combine them to make a lap quilt.  I started making tree blocks and it turned out to be sooo much fun I just kept on going!I started by getting out my GREEN scrap basket and one thing just lead to another... Most of the construction is pretty self explainitory but here are two techniques you might find helpful! Here's an easy way to frame a cone shaped tree. Measure the base and height of the cone.Cut a rectangle that is at least 1 inch wider and taller. Position your tree on the rectangle as you like. Cut one side. Pull the tree about 3/8 th inch off the left side of the back groundand cut along the left edge. 

sew left side and then right side. add a trunk and square it up! 
Curvey treesThe trick about curve piecing is to place all your patches face up.then  cut nice gentle curves free hand.                                 more curvesIn this block the trees were so narrow I drew in the trunks.  I will go back and use an embroidery                                                 stitch to cover up the ink. Or not, lol!                                        I had a bunch of HSTs left over from some project so I used those to make some more conventional blocks.      

                                Some patches seem just perfect the way they are just put a trunk on them and frame them and you are good to go!

A tree without a trunk?  Why not!?

And here they are all together...(the flying geese aren't sewn just placed on the flannel.) The spaceing and sashing needs work but it's a start!  

And it was so much fun!!!!

And Now For The Give Away! 

The first prize is 8 Fat Quarters of Batiks in Holiday colors!

The second prize is 1.5 yards of this really cute Holiday fabric!

All you need to do to is leave a comment on your favorite tree block and if you sign up to follow my blog by any one of the modes; listed in my side bar I will enter your name a second time!

I'll pick 2 random winner's next Tues.

Have a wonderful week!

Cheers, Claire W.