Twister Tree Wall Hanging

Guess what?  Just finished another project that I want to share with you guys!

As always, please feel free to leave comments/questions/suggestions . . . I mean, that's how we learn, right?  By doing and listening!

Ok, so I bought a little twister tool from the LQS a month or so back.

I didn't take a pic of it in the package, but here it is:

 

This is the small 3 1/2" twister template.  See the lines on it?  I'll show you in a sec . . .

 

 

Since Christmas is coming up . . . and I had Christmas-y fabrics, I decided to do a tree wall hanging for my first project.

 

 

I went onto Excel and fiddled with the column width, so that I could have some squares to play with.  I designed the tree, then set out cutting the fabric.

 

With this template, the size of squares I had to cut was 5".  Seemed a bit much to me, but who am I to not follow directions?

 

Here are most of the cut squares:

 

 

In a bit more sensible order:

(I need a bigger design wall)



 

 

Here are all the blocks assembled . . . with the red binding on, the dimensions were 38"(ish)x47"(ish).

 

Yeah, I didn't make the red border a whole 5" . . .

 

 

 

Off to the cutting table!  Now, here is where those lines on the template come in handy:

You've gotta line them up with the seams between blocks, then CAREFULLY cut around the template.  The "feet" that are on the template are very handy for keeping the template in place.

Here is why:

While there are some spare spaces, if you cut too far from the template, it will cut into that particular block.

Now, it's recommended on YouTube (yes, I do watch the tutorials!) - and other websites as well, that you cut just one row at a time, so that you don't get confused as to where the block you just cut goes.

I did it in rows of 2:

That big "flimsy" pictured above . . . after all blocks are cut, here is what you have left!

Feel free to trim tiny blocks from those scraps!

Sewing the cut blocks were done 2 rows at a time as well:

Here is the top all put together:

Did I take a pic of the back?  No, of course not!  At least . . . not before I got the binding/hanging sleeve put on . . .

Needless to say, I played with FMQing.  The star was the best:

Now, as far as the blues, I tried to do circles.  The tree was meandering, and the red was zig-zag. 

I did NOT take a closeup of the back after this, 'cause it looks BAD!  But, that's why it is facing the wall!

Got the hanging sleeve attached (who knew that the Transformers movies were conducive to stitching?) after I got the binding done.

(don't look too close at the bottom - I need to take the fabric glue to it still.  I just put the binding on by machine, and as you can see - not the best of ideas!)

 

 

 

Final product:

It's a bit crooked on the left . . . probably from stretching the fabric when quilting.  I'm hoping that it will flatten it out once I iron it a few more times.