Maple Leaf stems
 

I'm in the process of making some 9" Maple Leaf blocks. For the life of me I cannot figure out how to do the patch that forms the stem of the leaf. I've looked on line and have tried a couple of ideas from sites, but they didn't work. I don't want to applique them and I know I've seen instructions for piecing the patch using two triangles and a rectangular piece on the diagonal. I need the patch to be 3.5" when trimmed.

One site recommended cutting a 3.5' square of stem fabric and sewing a 3 1/8" square diagonally on the corner and then another on the opposite diagonal corner and trim to the 1/4" seam allowance. Not only does this waste fabric (although not a huge amount), but it came out too small.

On another site I read to cut a 3.5" background patch in half on the diagonal and sew a 1.5" X 5.5" rectangle to each of the diagonal sides. That wouldn't work because the background pieces didn't line up in order to trim to the 3.5" size.

I can't help believing there's a formula or at least some instructions out there somewhere! HELP! And thanks a lot!

Another method I saw on Jenny Doan's tutorial - she cut the back ground square the size needed then cut a rectangle of brown stem fabric - fold it wrong sides together - sew the stem onto the background square - slightly off center where you want the stem then fold the excess fabric over the top of the sewn seam and sew it down. I am sure I'm not explaining this well - if you watch the Missouri Star tutorial on the maple leaf quilt - she shows how she did it on that video.

I've done it like you would do a "snowball corner." So, cut your stem square 3 1/2." Then cut two background pieces about 3" square (2 3/4" would give you a wider stem). Draw a diagonal line from one corner to the other on the back of each background square. Place the background squares on opposite corners, and sew on the lines. Press away from the stem on the front, and trim off the seam allowances. There's a little waste, but it turns out pretty perfect.

Thanks, Otis, for the tutorial info on MSQC. I've never seen it done that way! quiltedsunshine, I hadn't thought of treating it like a snowball block. Thanks for the info.

I have always cut very thin bias stripe, sew right sides together and turn inside out, iron flat so that you could make the stem curve a bit. Learned to do that from F&P.

I have used this method and it works fine. With the stem being folded, it gives the block a little dimension as well.

I recently made a maple leaf quilt using the instructions from Quilter's Cache. Her method for making stems worked very well. You'll find her instructions here: http://www.quilterscache.com/M/MapleLeafBlock.html

You may have to change the size of the original square but the method will work just the same.

I find this way the easiest for me..........

Paper piece the stems.