Tutorial: Textured Tree with Pleats

Hello, hello again!  Earlier this week, I shared the first of two textured tree tutorials and I am back today with  the second installment in this little mini series of fast and fun blocks to piece.  Ready?

This tree is all about pleats!  I've been playing with pleats for a few weeks now and I think they are so fun.  For this tree, you'll start with a 6" x 18" strip of green fabric. I am using Ornament Malabar Green from Tradewinds from our shop.

Pleat the fabric by creating some folds, ironing along the way.

When you finish, it should look like this.

Now, grab a piece of interfacing (about 6 x 8) and fold it in half and cut a diagonal line to make a triangle.

Fuse the triangle to the wrong side of your pleated strip, being careful not to disturb the pleats.  Then trim the edges off using your ruler and rotary cutter.

Stitch along both sides using a 1/8" seam to hold everything in place before we move to the next step.

Now, grab a 10" square of white (or other background).

Slice the square in half with a off-center diagonal cut.

Flip the left side over, so that we can piece around the tree.

Piece each side to the tree, one side at a time, leaving overhang at the top and bottom.

Press toward the background.

Trim the background in line with the bottom of the tree.  And prepare a trunk strip by cutting a 3" x 10" wide strip of white in half and inserting a 1.5" wide strip of a brown scrap.

Piece the trunk strip, pressing toward the trunk.

Attach the trunk strip to the tree block.  And for the next step you'll need a red rectangle about 4" x 8".

Make two diagonal pleats in the red fabric, starting at the outer edges. Press.

Then add a center pleat and press.

Take a scrap of interfacing and rough out a tree skirt shape.

Adhere the interfacing to the wrong side of the pleated red piece, taking care not to disturb the pleats.

Cut out the tree skirt and Fray Check the edges.

Applique the tree skirt using a zig zag stitch to secure it to the larger block.

Press your block and move it to your cutting mat.  Trim the block to 8" x 10".

Trim a piece of white card stock to 8" x 10".

Use double sided tape or clear scrapbooking tape to line the edges of the cards stock.

Align the tree block on top of the card stock, gently pressing the edges to secure it to the card stock. And place it in an 8 x 10 frame.

Of course, you could piece these into a quilt or pillow if you'd rather not make it as wall art.  Also, I would recommend adding any embellishments (buttons, beads etc), before adhering to the card stock.

Please let me know if you have any questions!  If you make a pleated tree, I'd love to see it - so link it up in the comments.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Happy Sewing!  :-)