Christmas Tree Quilt Blocks

Time to start planning that Christmas décor, so that you have time to stitch it all up! One very handy idea is to make Christmas tree quilt blocks into whatever size quilt you fancy for your festive decorations.

Christmas Tree Quilt Blocks

There are two simple options for constructing a Christmas tree block. One is a simple triangle shape. The other is a ‘stepped’ Christmas tree.

You could use either of these blocks to make a lovely table runner for your Christmas table, a wall hanging to hang up when you put out all your Christmas décor, or a full quilt to give a bedroom that festive feeling! A patchwork tablecloth would also be perfect to serve that yummy Christmas dinner on!

Supplies

Strong thread
Removable marking pen
Cutting Tools - Rotary cutter, scissors, self healing cutting board
Quilting ruler
Sewing machine
Iron and ironing board
Useful, but not essential -spray starch.
Fabric- Pale background fabric and green print fabric for trees. Brown print fabric for trunk.

Of course, your trees don’t have to be green! If your Christmas décor style is blue and gold, for example, choose your colors accordingly.

Quilting Basics

Method #1 - A Simple Triangle Tree

How to Make Triangle Tree Blocks

This is using the classic half square triangle method. It makes two blocks.

Cutting

Start with 10” (25cm) squares. You could use a ‘Layer Cake’ of precut squares. For explanation purposes, I am using cream as my background color, green for my trees, and brown for my trunk.

You will need:

1x cream square, 10” (25cm)
1x green square 10” (25cm)
2x cream squares 4” (10cm)
1x brown strip 14” x 1 ½” (35.5x 4 cm)

Metric sizes have been rounded off.

Step 1 - The Trunk

Cut the large 10" cream square in half diagonally to make two triangles.
Fold in half and mark center of long edge with a removable marking pen or a crease. Fold trunk strip in half and mark center.
Match center points and stitch either side.
Press the seams to the darker side.
Trim the edges and make the square 10" again.

Step 2 - The Tree

Now use the half square triangle to make the trees.

Draw a diagonal line down the center of the green square.
Draw a seam line ¼” (6mm) away from each side of the diagonal line.
Place the green square on top of the trunk piece you have already made. The diagonal lines must be perpendicular to the brown trunk strip.

Stitch along both outside seam lines. (not the center line)
Cut along the center line.
Open out and press.

Now draw a diagonal line across the small cream square
Pin this square to the trunk corner.

Stitch along the diagonal line.
Trim ¼” (6mm) past the stitching.
Open out and press flat.

These blocks must be placed on the point to give the Christmas tree effect.

This version gives you short, fat trees which will look good with a sashing of cream (background) fabric separating them.

Method # 2 - Longer Tree Block

This method also gives you two trees, but they will be in opposite colors- eg one green tree and one white (or lighter) tree. These are more elongated trees than you get with method 1. The final block will be more of a rectangle shape than a square shape.

Cutting

To make 2 sample blocks you will need the following fabrics:

1 light square 4 ½ x 4 ½” (11.5x 11.5cm) (White, in this case.)
1 green square 4 ½ x 4 ½” (11.5x 11.5 cm)
2 brown trunks 1x 1 ½” (2.5x 4 cm)
2 white rectangles 2x 1 ½” (5x 4 cm)
2 green rectangles 2x 1 ½” (5x 4 cm)

Step 1 - The Trunk

To make the trunk sections, sew the brown strips in between the white rectangles.

Step 2 - The Tree

To make the tree section- place the two large squares on top of each other, right sides facing.
Using a ruler and a rotary cutter, cut one side of the tree shape.

If you want to have uniform trees, cut at a 60-degree angle. If you want trees of differing shapes and sizes, freehand the cuts so that your triangles are all different sizes and widths.

Now cut the other side of the tree. Make certain that you leave some seam allowance at the top of the center triangle, or your trees will have their tops chopped off!

Next step is to mix the white sides with the green tree, and the green sides with the white tree.

The first seam needs to be along the line of your second cut. Place a green triangle on top of a white triangle and sew together with ¼”(6mm) seam allowance. Open out and press towards the darker side.

Sew the second triangle to the central tree triangle.
Place it so that you have ¼” (6 mm) at the top for the seam allowance.
Square off the top and bottom edge of the unit so that they are even with the bottom of the tree.

Now join the trunk strip to the tree strip. Mark the center of each strip and match centers to join. Pin into place, then stitch.
Your trunk strip may be a bit wider than the tree unit. Just square it all up by trimming after stitching.
Now repeat these steps with the colors in reverse.

You could use this same piecing method to make a cute little triangular Santa, using a red triangle in the center. He will be so happy to be placed somewhere in between the trees! Instead of the trunk, make a strip with 2 black strips to represent his boots. Or appliqué boot shapes to the bottom strip.

Method #3 - Staggered Christmas Tree

This one has a few more steps to it but has a more realistic look about it. For this version, you will be using the ‘Flying Geese ‘ construction method. Choose a background color and a tree color. Again, I will call them white and green.

Cutting

To make a 10” (25cm) block, cut the following:

From green, cut one of each:

2 ½ x 4 ½” strip (6.4 x 11.4 cm)
2 ½ x 6 ½“ strip (6.4 x 16.5 cm)
2 ½ x 8 ½“ strip (6.4 x 21.5 cm)
2 ½ x 10 ½” strip (6.4 x 26.7 cm)

From white, cut the following:

10 x 2 ½” squares (6.4 cm)
Two 2 ½ x 1 ½" strips (6.4x 3.8 cm)
Two 2 ½ x 2 ½" squares (6.4 cm square)
Two 2 ½ x 3 ½" strips (6.4x 8.9 cm)
Two 2 ½ x 4 ½" strip. (6.4x 11.4 cm)

From brown, cut the following:

For trunk, cut one 2 ½” square (6.4 cm square).

Step 1 - The Tree

To construct the block:

Draw diagonal lines from corner to corner of each small white square.
Line up a square with the left corner of the shortest green strip. Right sides facing.
Stitch along the diagonal line.
Cut away excess fabric ¼” (6mm) from the seam.
Open out and press.
Repeat this on the right hand of the green strip.

Assemble the rest of the strips in the same way. Press each seam to the dark side.

Now you have 4 tree strips. You need to add background strips to make them all the same length.

Add the 2 ½ x3 ½” (6.4x 8.9cm) strips to each side of the shortest tree strip.
Add the 2 ½ x 2 ½ “ (6.4cm )square to each side of the next longest tree strip
Add the 2 ½ x 1 ½ “ (6.4x 3.8 cm) to each side of the following longest tree strip.
The bottom strip is the correct length.

Now sew all 5 strips together in order of size, to make the full Christmas tree block.
Press these seams well to make them as invisible as possible.

Step 2 - The Trunk

Place a 2 ½ x 4 ½” (6.4 x 11.4 cm) white strip on either side of the brown square.

Stitch the trunk to the tree.
Square up the final block. It should now be 10 ½“ (26.2 cm) square to make a finished block of 10“ (25 cm).

Christmas Tree Quilt Blocks - Embellishment Ideas

Now comes the fun part! (This part is my favorite!) Embellish your trees!

Add beads, sequins, ribbons, or embroidery to decorate the trees with ornaments. Appliqué little gifts to go around the trunks. Let your imagination go wild! You can hand or machine appliqué them into place, or even use fusible web to stick them down, as long as the quilt will not need too much laundering! Not suitable for a tablecloth!

If you are not a fan of embellishments, just stitch all your trees together, with sashing or without- the choice is yours. Make your quilt as large or small as you please, depending on what you are going to use it for.

If you start now, you can have a full quilt ready to put into place when you put up your Christmas decorations. Will you choose to create a whole forest of Christmas tree blocks, or just put three or four together as a small decoration? Enjoy putting them together, whichever you decide upon!