Windham Fabrics Christmas Tree Farm - Downloadable PDF

Christmas Tree Farm Quilt Pattern by Wendy Sheppard for Windham Fabrics

Christmas Tree Farm is a free, downloadable PDF quilt pattern designed by Wendy Sheppard and published by Windham Fabrics. The finished quilt top measures a generous 68" x 91", making it an ideal lap quilt, throw, or holiday bed topper. It is rated as a beginner-friendly project, making it an excellent choice for quilters who are just starting out or who want a straightforward seasonal make with impressive results.

About the Design

The quilt is designed to showcase the A Song for Christmas fabric collection by Whistler Studios, also available through Windham Fabrics. The design evokes the classic charm of a Christmas tree farm, using a combination of rich holiday colors — including hunter green, burgundy, cream, and amber gold — to create a warm, festive aesthetic. The pattern makes thoughtful use of fussy cutting on the outer border fabric to center poinsettia motifs, adding a polished, intentional look to the finished quilt.

What Is Being Made

This pattern produces a quilted blanket or throw measuring 68 inches wide by 91 inches long. The design features a structured layout of pieced blocks surrounded by multiple borders, including a striking fussy-cut outer border that frames the entire composition. The combination of geometric piecing in the body of the quilt and the decorative outer border gives the finished piece a classic, heirloom-quality appearance well suited to holiday decorating or gifting.

Techniques Used

• Strip piecing: Many of the fabric cuts are made from width-of-fabric (WOF) strips, which are then pieced together and subcut into the required lengths. This is a time-efficient and beginner-friendly approach to achieving consistent, accurate pieces.
• Fussy cutting: The outer border fabric (SKU 51021M-X, a multi-colored print) is cut lengthwise with careful centering of the poinsettia motifs. Fussy cutting is a technique where the quilter deliberately positions the fabric under the ruler or template to capture a specific design element, ensuring the motif appears centered and intentional in the finished border.
• Half Square Triangles (HST): Referenced in the pattern's key abbreviations, HSTs are a foundational quilting unit created by sewing two contrasting fabric squares together diagonally and pressing open to form a square with a diagonal seam. They add visual movement and geometric interest to quilt blocks.
• Quarter Square Triangles (QST): Also referenced in the abbreviation key, QSTs are made by further dividing half square triangle units to create squares with diagonal seams running in multiple directions, allowing for more complex block designs.
• Subcutting from WOF strips: Strips cut across the full width of fabric are further subcut into precise rectangles and squares, a standard quilting technique that maximizes fabric efficiency and ensures uniformity across all pieces.
• Bordered quilt construction: The quilt is assembled with multiple successive borders, including inner and outer border strips of varying widths, which frame the central pieced design and add visual depth and dimension.

Stitches and Sewing Methods

• Straight stitch piecing: All patchwork assembly in quilting is done with a straight machine stitch, typically at a precise 1/4" seam allowance, which is the standard in quilting for accurate block sizing.
• Pressing seams: While not explicitly detailed in the extracted content, pressing seams open or to one side is a standard and essential step in quilting that ensures flat, accurate blocks and smooth borders.

Fabric and Materials

This pattern is designed specifically around the A Song for Christmas collection by Whistler Studios for Windham Fabrics. The fabric requirements reference nine distinct fabrics, identified by specific SKU numbers, spanning a classic Christmas color palette:

• Fabric A – SKU 37098-56, Cloud (1 yard): A light background fabric used for inner border strips in two sizes.
• Fabric B – SKU 50653-4, Amber Gold (1/4 yard): Used for small accent squares, including 1-3/4" and 3" squares cut from WOF strips.