Tree Sisters

 

A Facebook group called Tree Sisters put out a call for 12" blocks to be joined into a quilt to be displayed next year, the "Year of the Tree".  An idea popped into my head, so I went for it.   

(Submission deadline is July 1. And there's room for some more blocks. Here's info on making and submitting a quilt block. )

I remember being fascinated when I first learned that trees and other plants have just as much size and spread under the ground with their roots as above ground with their branches.  Up until then, I guess it was kind of out of sight, out of mind.  So my design represents that.  And by showing a more complete view of a tree, I've also included the earth and all those underground process of growth and nourishment.

 

 

The sky is a glossy fabric, which gives it an airy, light sense.  The leaves are made of many tiny, very fussy cut bits of six prints.  The pieces are stabilized with iron-on interfacing and the edges are also sealed with Fray-Check.  That was the time consuming part of the process.  Once all was in place - thanks to double-sided, iron-on bonding - I secured both leaves and roots with machine stitching.

Here are the fabrics I used - trunk and roots at upper left - the rest provided the leafy bits.  Astute readers may recognize that several of these have been used in my Something From Nothing series. 

I'm a bit sad to pack up my little tree and say good-bye, but really excited to see what comes of the completed quilt.  A few people have posted their blocks, and they are spectacular!

My previous post shows another little quilt I recently completed that is going to a themed group project.  I've been enjoying the creative spurt.  I always love challenge projects, having some limits can actually be quite fun (my philosophical post on that concept), and it's so exciting to see all the different interpretations that folks come up with.