I am super excited to be a part of Swan Amity Studios Summer Scrap Elimination. Swan asked several quilt pattern designer if we would be a part of her event. Why YES! I’d love to!

I love the Christmas in July sales and thought my project might be a push to get rid of…I mean… use up your “old” Christmas fabric so you can go buy more when those sales come around. I designed a tool that uses 2 1/2″ strips, Hex-a-ma-jig Jr. Whether you are using strips or scraps cut into 2 1/2″ wide pieces, Hex-a-ma-jig Jr. and my Winter Tree-Land pattern is perfect. The idea of Winter Tree-Land is to use 2 1/2″ strips x WOF, one light and one dark to make a variety of trees. Those two strips can make any one of the options below.

1) 3 Small Trees

2) 1 Small and 1 Large Tree (shown in first and third photos below)

3) 1 Medium and 2 Tiny Trees…with option A for light tops or option B with dark tops (A Medium and Tiny shown as the placemat in the last photo below)

4) 5 Tiny Trees, great for coasters (Coasters shown in second photo below)

The photos below show several of the options listed. I did this for the AQS Countdown to Christmas a couple years ago. The pattern is a free download my website!

I took the idea of Winter Tree Land in a little different direction MORE SCRAPPY! Remember we are eliminating our scraps! I played with a variety of pieces I cut with Hex-a-ma-jig Jr., triangles, diamonds and a half hexie, to make a Christmas Tree with a base. I think these would make fun coasters to make/give as gifts. These are one row taller than the Tiny Tree coasters. (I swear the photo was clear when I took it.) I think it would be fun to use scraps instead of strips to make any of the options in the Winter Tree-Land pattern.

The directions for Winter Tree-Land is on my website under Free Patterns. The paper template shapes are included for the 4 options given in the pattern. It is much easier to cut around an acrylic template and I recommend you use Hex-a-ma-jig Jr. (also available on my website!)

A couple of things to be aware of when making the Scrappy Coaster shown above…

When I began cutting my Christmas fabrics, you will see the mess of how I roll when playing/arranging. Cut many and use few. BUT now I have more to play with for the next one! You will need to do a creative order of piecing, so there is no Y-seam. I stitched the tree “top”, then layered it with batting and backing sewing it like a pillow. Trim off the excess batting in the seam allowance. Turn right side out and hand sew the opening. Then I quilted it. Ta Done!

I hope you have fun using your Christmas or Winter fabrics to create some TREES!! I looking forward to seeing what you create (send me a photo!) and what the other designers present in this Summer Scrap Elimination!

in quilting,

Debbie