Tackle your scrap bin and a new skill with this free Tiny Trees Foundation Paper Piecing Scrap Quilt pattern!
I recently signed myself up for a year-long foundation paper piecing quilt along with Fat Quarter Shop using their Vintage Fan paper blocks.
Of course, it was only after I did that that I realized how little experience I have with FFP and I started to panic.
I live my entire life with a low level of background panic so it’s not an unnatural state for me to be in but I knew exactly how to get past it!
My favorite way to master a quilting skill is by using it to make a quilt. It took me 3 Rail Fence-adjacent quilts to master my free-motion loopy meander and a single Cozy Corners quilt to become a pro at giant half-square triangles.
Check out my Free Cozy Corners Layer Cake Pattern for a quick and beginner-friendly half-square triangle quilt pattern!
So I knew what I needed was a full Foundation Paper Piecing project, or two.
As a bonus, I’m (always) in the middle of gutting my craft room and this is a great way to deal with all my scraps!
For the throw, I’ll be using my green and white/tan/cream scraps for the trees and the backgrounds.
If you’ve ever scrolled through my Instagram account you’ll notice how much I actively avoid using white and light colored fabrics so I know I don’t have enough background fabrics right now.
The throw is going to be a long-term project for me, I’ll be making 234 trees for a 55×66 quilt. I always have something going on the side (usually 3-8 somethings) and this will get added to that list.
One of the best things about foundation paper piecing is being able to consistently make the same block over a long period of time (weeks, months or years).
I notice a slight difference in my sewing depending on whether I’m wearing glasses or contacts so it’s extra helpful for me.
I’ll be making my blocks and storing them together in a box and sewing everything together when I’m completely done.
When I share patterns I usually try to have a finished project to show you, but since this will likely take me years I didn’t want to wait.
I’ll also be using the tiny tree block to make an 11×37 Table Runner using leftovers from another project using a single background fabric for a little less chaos.
Blue and white is a great combo for winter and I think the little trees look just as good in white.
The Block
I’ve wanted to make a little tree project for a long time but the odd angles kept me from jumping in. In the end, I decided to go with foundation paper piecing.
The little tree block finishes at 2 inches wide x 3 inches inches tall. The trunk is separate from the top of the tree so you can make it a different color if you would like.
Get the free Tiny Trees Foundation Paper Piecing Block
Each sheet of paper gives you 6 trees, so you’ll need to print 4 copies for the runner and 39 copies if you’re making the throw.
Check out my Quilting page for more info or start here:
