October 29, 2020

Jesse Tree QAL - First Blocks

Do you know Jen Frost of Faith and Fabric? If not, you should! She's hosting a Jesse Tree QAL that started this week. Every week for 5 weeks there will be 5 new blocks that represent our salvation story 😊 Then, starting November 29th she'll be sharing a devotion each morning until Christmas. Doesn't that sound like a great way to get ready to celebrate Christmas??

Since this is the first week of the quilt along, the first 5 blocks have been released. For now, at least, I'm all caught up. We'll see how long that lasts, lol. Along with making the blocks, I've enjoyed reading about Jen's story behind each of the block designs.

The Jesse Tree blocks are all paper pieced, so I'm using freezer paper to make mine. No more ripping out little bits of paper at the end! If you want to learn this paper piecing magic, I'll be teaching a virtual workshop with Watergirl Quilt Co on November 28th. You can sign up here.

The first block represents Creation. I actually missed one small green piece, but by the time I realized it I was too far along to bother going back to fix it. Jen designed the Creation block to show Pangaea - the way the land looked before the continents drifted apart.
Jesse Tree quilt blocks | DevotedQuilter.com
Block 2 is an apple to represent the Fall. Fun fact, though we always associate an apple with the fruit Eve and then Adam ate, the Bible doesn't actually tell us what it was.
Jesse Tree quilt blocks | DevotedQuilter.com
Block 3 is the Tower of Babel. I had to make some adjustments to the cloud after a piece I sewed on didn't actually cover the space it was supposed to and I didn't realize that until I had sewn on a couple of other pieces. Rather than ripping out seams, I changed an angle so everything was covered. Good things clouds don't have to be perfectly shaped! It was fun using this floral green and imagining the tower being built surrounded by a field of wildflowers.
Jesse Tree quilt blocks | DevotedQuilter.com
Block 4 is Noah's Ark, along with the rainbow. The rainbow makes it such a happy looking block, doesn't it?
Jesse Tree quilt blocks | DevotedQuilter.com
Block 5 represents God's promise that Abraham's descendants would number as many as the stars in the sky. I was super happy to be using freezer paper on this block. That's a lot of tiny pieces of paper I would have had to rip out otherwise! The block is actually square, but the many diagonal seams don't want to lay flat at all, so it doesn't look square unless I'm smoothing it out flat.
Jesse Tree quilt blocks | DevotedQuilter.com
I haven't fully decided how I'll finish these blocks, but I do know I want to do something other than making a full quilt out of them. I'm considering finishing each block separately, so they could be hung on a line with clothespins. This really appeals to me, since a Jesse Tree is meant to be a story a day leading to Christmas. This way you could add one block to the display each day.

For now, that's 5 of 25 blocks done 😊 I've been having a lot of fun raiding my scraps for the blocks so far. Will you be joining in the quilt along

3 comments:

  1. It's great that you're participating in this, and no, I won't be. Because we never have family visit at Christmastime, and therefore no one to fully appreciate a home that's been decorated, I don't do any decorating. But your idea to hang these from a clothesline is a great one! I also think it's wonderful that you use the freezer paper method for FPP. I haven't yet gotten around to trying that, though I have all the supplies to do so. Guess I'm just old school. Enjoy making your blocks! They're good ones!

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  2. All of them are lovely. Are you able to answer a question please as I cannot get a definitive answer amongst my quilting/sewing friends. "Can FPP and freezer paper patterns be used interhangeably?".

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  3. LOVE YOUR BLOCKS. I am into the third set and moving along. Have a Blessed Holiday.

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