Paper Pieced Maple Leaf Pattern

Further to my foundation paper piecing tutorial, I now offer you a pattern for a Maple Leaf that I designed in 2003, soon after discovering foundation paper piecing.
I framed mine with log cabin strips and put it into a pillow to be displayed around the July 1/July 4 holidays. (We have to celebrate both around here. July 1 is Canada Day for those of you who don't know. And for the vastly smaller number that don't know: July 4 is the US Independence Day celebration.)

This pattern is not for the beginner because it is imperfectly designed. A good design should require you to only add one piece at a time. But, in several places, the only way I could make this work was to sew two sections together first before sewing them onto the main piece.

Here is the design which I give you permission to download and print for your own personal use:
Section one has green numbers; section two has black numbers; and section three, purple. The pieces you see labeled as "3a" "3b," "4a" "4b," and "8a" "8b" are the ones you have to piece together first and then sew onto the larger section so that the seam matches the line. It's a little tricky but with some experience and some futzing, I'm sure you can get it. In the grand assembly, you would sew section 1 to section 2, and then sew on section 3. And don't forget to add a seam allowance to the outside border.

Hope you enjoy. July isn't that far away...

Leave a comment and/or link at this post if you make your own Maple Leaf--I'd love to see it!
-Canadian Christina

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