Lodgepole Tree – Block 11 of the Little Forest BOM

Eek! Can you believe this is the second to last block to be revealed in the Little Forest Block of the Month quilt? The time is flying by but the quilty fun continues with the Lodgepole Pine tree quilt block.

Your quilting confidence and capabilities have been growing with each new tree block you’ve stitched up to this point. Just look at all the new quilty skills you’ve got under your belt after joining the Little Forest Block of the Month Quilt Along featured in Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine:

• Needle turn appliqué on the maple trees featured in the Little Forest block
• Half Rectangle Triangles (or HRT) in the pine tree featured in the Twin Peaks block
• Curves and Foundation Paper Piecing in the cherry blossom tree featured in the Cherry Tree block
• Small and strip piecing featured in the Bonsai quilt block.
• Raw edge appliqué as shown in the Maple tree block.
• Working with large foundation paper piecing templates in the Fraser Fir quilt block.
• Strip piecing featured in the Striped Pine quilt block.
• Flying geese and the stitch and flip method in the Stacked Pine quilt block.
• Colour play and FPP in the Larch Tree quilt block.
• Choosing your quilty adventure between traditionally pieced oval curves or needle turn appliquéing ovals in the Poplar tree quilt block.

All of these quilting techniques offer you a range of applications to feature those skills, giving you more freedom in your creative journey. Hopefully, you’ve been tracking your progress in the Little Forest BOM Journal. You can download your free journal here.

Good timing too, as this month I’m going to challenge you a little bit 😉

This is a skill builder, after all, and I wouldn’t want to disappoint! While there’s no official new quilting technique to explore in the Lodgepole tree quilt block, the tiny details in the block will require your full attention.

*This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission.

INSPIRATION BEHIND THE LODGEPOLE TREE QUILT BLOCK

I knew I wanted trees of different shapes and sizes to keep your Little Forest quilt cute, interesting, and unique! I pushed myself to think outside the box to come up with modern quilt block designs.

Interestingly, some designs are pretty much nailed down right from the get-go, while others need a little tweaking and massaging. The Lodgepole quilt block definitely needed lots of massaging – ha!

This block went through a few iterations before she became what you see here today!

The first version of the quilt block was a little too abstract, so I made her look more like a tree. You know my love for modern design 😉 so, I needed to find a balance between making her look like a tree while also keeping the lines clean and graphic.

If you’ve seen a Lodgepole tree before, they’re part of the pine tree family. They tend to be skinnier pines with sparse needles and a longer trunk-to-tree canopy ratio. To capture the essence of the Lodgepole pine, I wanted to keep the trunk visible in the bottom part of the canopy. That was easy from a design perspective but proved challenging from a quilting perspective. This explains the quilt techniques featured in the Lodgepole quilt block!

QUILT TECHNIQUE FEATURED IN THE LODGEPOLE TREE QUILT BLOCK

To strike a balance between respecting the design and not making the piecing overly challenging, I ended up combining several piecing techniques in one block.

It’s a combination of traditional and foundation paper piecing with the added complexity of tiny alignment.

Precision is the name of the game with the Lodgepole quilt block.

This is where you’ll see how the quilting skills you’ve picked up through piecing your Little Forest blocks have prepared you to ace the precision piecing on this one!

TIPS FOR QUILTY SUCCESS

The trickiest bit with piecing the Lodgepole quilt block is keeping your canopies straight and lining up your trunk.

Both require precise cutting and piecing, and whenever these techniques have popped up, what’s the one thing I always suggest to you?

Slow down and take your time 😊

Be mindful of how the pieces are coming together and I know you’ll be rocking this one without any issues!

MATERIALS AND FABRICS YOU’LL NEED TO MAKE THE LODGEPOLE TREE QUILT BLOCK

Here’s an overview of everything I’ve used to make my Lodgepole Tree quilt block:

• Lodgepole Tree Quilt Block Pattern – Available exclusively in Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine Issue 121*
• Ruby and Bee Solids in the colours:
  • Peachy Keen*
  • Mandarin*
  • Mushroom*
• Linen White for the background, although this* Ruby and Bee solid would work perfectly too!
• Sewing machine*
• Sewing machine needles*
• 50wt thread for piecing*
• Square ruler*
• Rotary cutter*
• Glue (optional)*
• Cardstock (optional)
• Cutting mat*
• Iron*
• Pressing table or wool pressing mat*
• Pins*
• Pincushion
• Small snips*
• Design wall – tutorial to make your own here

MONTHLY GIVEAWAY

To encourage you to continue challenging yourself in your quilting journey, I thought a chance to with the Cloud Surfing Quilt Pattern PDF might just do the trick 😉

Participating in the monthly Little Forest BOM giveaway is super easy!

All you need to do is:

• Follow @shannonfraserdesigns @lovequiltingmag
• Post your finished block on Instagram by March 22, 2023, at 11:59 pm EST tagging @shannonfraserdesigns and @lovequiltingmag
• Include the hashtag #LittleForestBOM
• Instagram account must be public

The giveaway is open internationally. The winner will be selected at random on March 23, 2023.

The Lodgepole Tree quilt block pattern is exclusively available in Love Patchwork and Quilting Magazine Issue 121* available on newsstands in the UK and heading internationally in the coming weeks. If you’re like me and based outside of Europe, the quickest way to get your hands on the monthly quilt blocks is to get a digital subscription here*.

Can’t wait to see your blocks pop up on Instagram under the #LittleForestBOM hashtag!

Happy quilting!

xo

Shannon

PS did you notice the cute Bonsai and Little Forest stickers in the shop?!

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