Turning Charlie's Tree Into a Christmas Quilt
There's something about a slightly wonky Christmas tree that just sings to my heart! I’m that person that starts watching Christmas movies the second Halloween is over, and I’ve always loved the topsy turvy shapes of Mt. Crumpet and Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree. A couple years ago, I pulled inspiration from these tumbling shapes, and captured a little bit of that nostalgic Christmas magic in a quilt block of my own, the Charlie’s Tree quilt block.
Charlie’s Tree is my spin on the the classic Christmas tree quilt block. It features a playful evergreen tree topped with a single ornament. It's inspired by the wonderfully imperfect Christmas trees of our favorite holiday stories and movies, and it's designed to bring a little extra whimsy to your holiday sewing.
This year, I got to thinking… what if one little tree could become a whole Christmas tree farm?
From One Christmas Tree to a Full Christmas Tree Farm
I've put together a free quilt assembly guide that shows you how to use the Charlie's Tree block to make a festive 60" x 72" Christmas quilt!
The guide walks you through combining your Christmas tree quilt blocks with plenty of negative space and three different sizes of sawtooth stars. The stars add a little extra sparkle and movement to the layout, while the negative space gives each tree room to shine. It kind of like you’re making your very own Christmas tree farm!
And the best part? You don't need to purchase another full quilt pattern to get started. If you already own the Charlie's Tree quilt block pattern, you can download the assembly guide at the bottom of the page for free! (Psssst if you don’t have the block pattern, it’s only $4!)
The guide includes:
A modern layout for 15 Charlie's Tree blocks
Background fabric requirements and a cutting diagram
Three different sizes of sawtooth stars
Assembly guidance for creating a 60" x 72" quilt top
Coloring page
Whether you're planning a festive Christmas quilt for your own home or looking for a special handmade holiday gift, this is a fun way to take a single quilt block and turn it into something much bigger.
A Little Nostalgia, Lots of Christmas Color
For my version of the quilt, I wanted to lean into a very specific kind of Christmas nostalgia: the wonderfully colorful, slightly kitschy Christmas decor of the 1990s.
Think multicolored Christmas lights, hand-drawn holiday animation, plastic light-up lawn decorations, and all the bright, playful colors that made Christmas feel a little bit magical when we were kids.
I love how these colors bring out the whimsical personality of Charlie's Tree. Instead of sticking with the traditional red-and-green Christmas palette, I used a combination of primary colors that feel playful, nostalgic, and just a little bit unexpected. The accent fabrics I used are all from Ruby Star Society’s new solids line (Witchy, Heliotrope, Blue Ribbon, Lindley Blue, Bright Blue, Ladybug, Citron, Verdant, Sprout, Pale Peach, and Turquoise) and the background fabric is Confetti Cottons in Regal.
There is no set number of fabrics you ned to use in this quilt top - I used 11 accent fabrics and just cut multiples of some colors to end up with enough for 15 Charlie’s Tree blocks.
It's a reminder that Christmas quilts don't have to follow a traditional color palette! You can make this design your own with vintage-inspired Christmas fabrics, bright modern prints, or even a more traditional combination of holiday colors.
Color Your Own Christmas
I've also put together a few different quilt mockups to show just how versatile this little ol’ tree can be. You can take the same Charlie’s Tree block, sawtooth stars, and negative space and create a completely different look simply by changing your fabric choices.
Whether you gravitate toward colorful retro Christmas fabrics, a classic red-and-green holiday palette, or something a little more modern, this quilt is a great opportunity to play with color.
Moda Bella Solids
Christmas Tree Accent Colors
Citrine, Plum, Soft Yellow, Ivory, Peach, Fig Tree Olive, Scarlet, Brown, Blue
Background Fabric
Kansas Green
Art Gallery Fabrics PURE Solids
Christmas Tree Accent Colors
Raw Gold, London Red, Quartz Pink, Candied Cherry, Eucalyptus, mink, Ruby, Cinnamon, Fresh Sage, Toasty Walnut, Aurora Red
Background Fabric
Sweet Macadamia
Ready to Make Your Own Charlie's Tree Quilt?
If you're ready to turn a little Christmas tree into a whole lot of holiday cheer, here's how to get started!
Step 1: Purchase the Charlie's Tree quilt block pattern. This individual 12" x 12" quilt block pattern includes everything you need to make your trees.
Step 2: Download the free quilt assembly guide. Once you have the block pattern, you can download the free guide below to cut the extra background fabric, add three sizes of sawtooth stars, and assemble your 60" x 72" quilt top.
Step 3: Pick your favorite Christmas fabrics and start sewing!
I can't wait to see what nostalgic and whimsical Christmas quilts you make with Charlie's Tree. Happy holiday sewing!