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!  :-)

Pleat Party Pillow Tutorial

Hi y'all!  I finally finished the tutorial I've been mentioning for a week or so ... ready?  I recently shared my "Pleat Party Pillow" here and wanted to show you how to make the pleated blocks as well as a little pleated border.  The layout of the pillow in this tutorial is a little different, but the block and sashing measurements are the same.  So let's get started!

I am making 4.5-inch blocks that will finish to 4" square.  So you'll need to start with a strip that is 5 x 9.  You want a little wiggle room on the width and about twice the length of your finished block size.  I am using some Summer House - love this big floral print!

Lay the strip on your ironing board and fold up a section like shown. 

Press well to create a crease. 

And continue the process until the strip looks like the one below. Leave about a half to and inch on each end that is not pleated for your seam allowance.

Next you'll need a foundation square.  I used 5" squares of Bella White Bleached.  You can use whatever you like as this will not show, but as you can see the pleats make the strip kind of bendy (or easy to fan out), so we want to reduce that shifting later in the piecing process. 

Carefully line up the pleated strip on top of the foundation square.  Its ok if the length is a little short since we are going to trim this down. 

Bring the piece to your machine and stitch along each edge.  I used about a 3/8" seam since I will be trimming it down but don't want to trim my stitching off.  

You want to stitch over and WITH the pleats - notice the folds are pointing away from the foot of the machine.  Slide the block over to do the opposite side and hold the pleats in place with your hand as you feed it through the machine.

It should look like this ...

Next, press everything in place and then trim your block down to 4.5" square. Don't trim your stitching off!

Stitch down the opposites - about 1/8" from the edge. 

Repeat until you have all the blocks you need.  In this example, I have four.  Arrange them how you want - mine alternate the direction of the pleats. 

Cut some sashing strips - mine are 1.5" Bella White Bleached and will finish to 1".  

Piece the blocks and sashing together. 

Next, you will need a 1.5" wide strip of a coordinating print that is about 1.5 times wider than your pieced blocks.  I am using Essential Dots in Bubblegum. Fold and press the strip in half lengthwise. 

Then center it over one edge and pin the center in place. 

Move it to your machine, leaving some wiggle room between the end and the pin in the middle.  Stitch about 1/8" from the edge.  

As you go, keep the needle down and lift the presser foot to fold the fabric under making a pleat. You'll take the center pin out as you go - just used this to help make sure we have enough fabric to get to the end. 

Alternate the direction of your folds as you go and you'll end up with something that looks like this.  Cute right?

Add the pleated strip to the opposite side.  And then trim both edges.

Press the pleats down and add a border strip, stitching 1/4" from the edge.  

Repeat on the opposite side.  Press toward the sashing so that your pleat will pop up. 

Trim the edges. 

At this point, it should look like this ...

Now, take another 1.5" strip folded lengthwise.  Fold one edge in about 0.5 inches.  

Line up the folded edge of the strip with the edge of the perpendicular/neighboring ruffle strip.  

Stitch the strip in place as you did before, folding to create pleats as you go.  When you get near the end, stop, back stitch, and remove from the machine.  

Trim if needed and fold the end in so it is in line with the neighboring strip.  Stitch in place. 

Repeat on the opposite side.  

Add borders to the two remaining sides as you did before. 

And admire your work!  

Quilt the top and add a backing as desired.  (Another pillow tutorial here for instructions on that.)

I haven't finished this pillow yet, but it will be 17" and I will squeeze an 18" form in it so its a little overstuffed.  I just didn't want to make y'all wait any longer for the tutorial!  :-)  When I do finish, I will show you.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.  If you have any questions, please email or ask in the comments.  Of course, if you make some pleated block or borders, I'd love for you to link the tutorial and share your project with me!

Happy Sewing!  :-)