Busy Bee Quilts - Beginner's Block of the Month

Never quilted? Learn to make a quilt by making a new block each month with our Beginner's Block of the Month.

Block #5 - Maple Leaf 12-1/2" unfinished I hope you're not sick of making HST's yet. This time, we're going to add a little applique to our quilting. You will need a light and dark fabric as usual, and also a third color for the stem. To begin, cut...
Two 4-7/8" squares out of dark fabric Two 4-7/8" squares out of light fabric Three 4-½" squares out of dark fabric Two 4-½" squares out of light fabric One 6-½" x 2-½" rectangle out of your stem fabric

Make your 4 HST squares and lay them out in the following pattern (don't sew them yet)!
Row 1- one light square, one dark square, one HST with the dark side in the lower left.
Row 2 - two dark squares, then a HST with the dark side in the lower left.
Row 3 - two HST squares with the dark side facing to the upper right, then a light square.
Our next step is to make the leaf stem. Fold the 6-1/2" x 2-1/2" piece of material in half with the long sides together. Sew a 1/4" seam. Open the seam and lightly press so that seam is in the center of the tube. Turn the stem over so the seam is on the bottom, then place it on your light colored square from row 1.

Lay the stem piece on the diagonal so it looks like the picture. You can now sew down the stem by hand or machine. Use tiny stitches if sewing by hand. If you need help, check out an applique book at your favorite store. After you have sewn it down, you can clip the corners to make them square again. Be careful not to cut your stitches!
Now, sew the rows together. Remember to always press towards the darker fabric unless the seam wants to lay flat in the other direction. A good rule of thumb is to have all the seams in one row face one way, then the next row faces the opposite way. If you keep alternating in this way, the seams tend to fit together much nicer. Don't be afraid to pin your pieces before sewing too. Now, put your rows together to finish your block. Trim finished block to 12-1/2". Well, you've learned a lot so far. Keep experimenting with your finished blocks by turning them, or by making them bigger or smaller. Hey, I bet you can even do a pattern by yourself now. Checkout my traditional patterns for some easy ways to practice your new-learned skills. I bet you're doing great. Until next month...Happy quilting.

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