Supplies • • • • •
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sewing machine rotary cutter & mat scissors iron assorted small cuts of fabric in greens, reds, and brown, 11/3 yards of background fabric (I chose Robert Kaufman Essex, a cotton/linen blend) fusible web (I use Steam A Seam) ribbon and buttons embroidery floss 2 (11 x 14”) canvases spray craft glue or heavy-duty stapler
All seam allowances are 1/4 inch.
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inspired ideas
Essentially what we're going to make is a piece of patchwork fabric, similar to a quilt block, that we'll glue and/or staple around a canvas and hang on the wall. The final measurements, before stapling to the canvas, will be 19 inches wide x 22 inches tall.
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First up is using a rotary mat and cutter to cut strips of fabric. There are no hard and fast rules as to the dimensions of your tree, but keep in mind that your canvas front is 11x14 inches. My longest strip is 9 1/2 inches, and my shortest is 1 inch long. Let's say you decide to use 7 strips to make your tree, not including the trunk. Cut these strips out, varying the length and width. Mine are anywhere from 1 3/4 inches wide to 3 inches wide. This is all up to you—have fun with it! After you've cut your strips out and arranged them to your liking, it's time to cut out the corresponding strips of background fabric.