I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long: Block 2

It was so much fun looking at all the different snowflakes made for Block 1 in the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long. There are well over 2,000 amazing quilters who are participating, WOW! If you are new to the QAL take a look at this post for all the background information. It is not too late to join in the fun. Are you ready for Block 2? Drumroll please ... April Adams has designed a cute Christmas Tree Farm for Block 2. You can find the pattern and tutorial on her blog JANDA Bend Quilts. Fun fact: April actually lives on a Christmas tree farm. Here is my version of the Christmas Tree Farm block.

Fabric Choice

I am pulling fabrics as I make the QAL blocks, improvising as I go. My blue trees are the same fabric that I used for the snowflake block and I also pulled a couple of green fabrics to mix things up. Imagine green trees, how traditional is that?

My Tips for the Block

The traditional piecing for this block is definitely in my comfort zone and I thoroughly enjoyed making these Christmas trees. They are so adorable I could have made dozens more! I think you will find April's pattern easy to follow. She provides templates for the triangle in a square trees and she also notes that you could use the Quilt in a Day Triangle in a Square Ruler if you have it. I don't own that particular ruler. However I do have the EZ Tri-Recs Tools in my collection and they also make it easy to cut accurate pieces for a triangle in a square. If you don't have one of these specialty rulers don't worry, the templates will work just fine. Unless of course you are looking for an excuse to buy another tool, then by all means you have my permission to go for it. One little trick to remember is make sure you trim 1/2" from the base of each triangle tree before sewing on the trunk strip. It is easy to skip over that step and then wonder why your trees are too tall.

Enter the Block Prize Giveaway

There is another great prize bundle for Block 2, a gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop donated by Jan Altomare and a PDF pattern from designer April Adams of JANDA Bend Quilts. To be entered in the prize drawing just post a picture of your finished Block 2 in one of three places:
  1. Facebook Group
  2. Instagram with hashtag #iwishyouamerryqal
  3. Or link up your post of your finished block with the linky party on the designer's blog JANDA Bend Quilts.
You must post your block in one of these locations by midnight EST on Monday August 28. Good luck and I'm looking forward to seeing how you make it your own!

Grand Prize Drawing in January

News Flash! There will be a drawing for an amazing grand prize in January. To be eligible for the grand prize drawing you must post a completed quilt top using all twelve of the QAL blocks by January 16. Even if you miss deadlines for some of the individual block giveaways you can still post for the grand prize. Look at these amazing sponsors for the grand prize!

Blocks and More Tips From Other QAL Hosts

Visit the other QAL hosts to see more versions of the block and read their tips. ~ Sandy