Beginners Paper Piecing Turorial: Christmas Tree

I decided to do another beginners paper piecing tutorial this time the free block pattern download is a Christmas Tree!! Download the free pattern at http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/quilting/other/beginners-paper-pieced-tree/188543




For this tutorial I have provided cutting templates as well to help beginners figure out what size pieces they need to cut. I don't usually use these but thought they may help beginners. So you need to print the pattern pieces and the cutting templates as well as select your fabrics.



Now start by cutting out the cutting templates


IMPORTANT: these templates do not include a seam allowance. For beginners I recommend you add a one inch seam allowance (this will be trimmed to 1/4" as we sew the block together). So cut fabric for each template piece adding 1" all the way around:



Now start with the tree fabric and pattern piece:


Lay the pattern piece face down so you cannot see the printed side. Place your fabric on the pattern piece right side up:


Now place the 2nd piece (B2) on top of that face down (right sides together).


If I hold it up to the light you can see that my stitching line (the line between the two pieces B1 and B2) is covered by both fabrics with heaps of seam allowance:


Stitch on the line, I use a small stitch length of 1.5 on my Juki machine, it makes the paper easy to remove once the block is complete:

oops I added B3 before B2 but it doesn't matter in this case because they are identical, but usually pieces are added in numerical order

Now fold the paper back at the stitching line towards piece B1 the tree:


Lay your ruler over the folded pattern with a 1/4" seam allowance overhang and trim:


It should look like this now once you open out the paper:


Press and you'll be ready to apply another piece of fabric!


Place piece B3 on the pattern as you did for B2 earlier, then stitch:




Fold back and then trim REMEMBER TO LEAVE THAT 1/4" OVERHANG WITH YOUR RULER THAT MAKES THE SEAM ALLOWANCE! 


Now once you press it it should look like this:


Lay the last remaining piece of this section on top of your tree right sides together:


Make sure you have at least the 1/4" of fabric overhanging the sewing line:


stitch, fold back and trim again:



Remember to leave that seam allowance overhang:


That section is almost complete! Press



Now trim around your block to take off the excess fabric:


It should now look like this:


SECTION TWO:


Pattern piece print side down, brown trunk piece right side up


Lay piece A2 on top of it (right sides together)


Stitch on the line, trim leaving that 1/4" seam allowance then press:






Add piece A3 in the same way on the opposite side of the pattern:

place A3 on top 
Stitch



Press

Add the final piece in my case the snow for the ground:

Place A4 and stitch on the line
Trim leaving 1/4"

 It should now look like this:


Trim all the excess fabric from the edges:


You have two completed sections:


Align them right sides together, stitch on the line 1/4" from the edge:


Gently rip the paper off the back along the stitching lines one section at a time and then it will look like this:


With a perfect point on your tree:


And if you printed the paper correctly it'll measure exactly 7.5" x 7.5"



I hope this helps beginners. Remember there are other resources to help beginning paper piecers on my download site along with this pattern.