Leafy Table Topper

FINISHED QUILT SIZE: 18˝ × 40˝

Materials

•Cotton background fabric: ⅔ yard

•Cotton end strips and binding: ⅞ yard

•Appliqué fabrics:

Leaves: 5 felted wool Chunks (9˝ × 10˝) in a variety of shades of blue

Some leaves and blue end strips: 1 piece of felted wool that is at least 7˝ × 18½˝

Stems: ¼ yard cotton fabric

Circles: A scrap of a dotted cotton fabric

•Backing and sleeve: 1⅓ yards

Additional supplies

•Self-adhesive laminating sheets: 6 sheets

•Clear vinyl: ⅝ yard of 54˝ wide OR 1⅛ yards of 16˝–18˝ wide

•Fusible web: 8 sheets of SoftFuse OR 1 yard of 18˝-wide fusible

•Appliqué threads: Perle cotton size 12 AND/OR Aurifil wool in colors to match or complement the fabrics

Cutting

WOF = width of fabric

Block background fabric

Cut 1 rectangle 20˝ × 38˝ for the block background.

Cotton end strip fabric

Cut 2 strips 1½˝ × 18½˝.

Felted wool end strip fabric

Cut 2 strips 1½˝ × 18½˝.

Binding

Cut 1 square 22˝ × 22˝ to make a 2½˝-wide continuous bias strip 130˝ long for the binding (see Continuous Bias Binding).

Block Assembly

Refer to General Appliqué Instructions as needed.

1.Make templates using the Leafy Pillows patterns.

2.Draw an 18˝ × 36˝ rectangle on a piece of paper. (Use a wide roll of paper or tape together regular-sized pages as needed.) Draw horizontal and vertical centerlines on the rectangle.

3.Refer to the appliqué placement diagram (below) and place the templates on the paper. Trace around them to make a pattern.

4.Make an overlay from the pattern.

5.Press the background in half horizontally and vertically. Place it on your design wall.

6.Refer to Preparing to Stitch to choose fabrics, fuse the fusible web to all the felted wool appliqués, and cut them out.

7.Place the appliqué pieces on the background on your design wall. Use the overlay to place the appliqué pieces in the proper position, or place them by eye. Play with color and fabric choices until you are happy with the way the block looks.

8.Fuse and appliqué the block. Select your appliqué stitch from Stitches for Appliquéing with Felted Wool.

9.When the appliqué is complete, press the quilt top on the wrong side, and trim it to 18½˝ × 36½˝.

Appliqué placement and quilt assembly diagram

Quilt Assembly

Seam allowances are ¼˝.

1.Sew a cotton end strip to a felted wool end strip. Press the seam allowances toward the cotton strip. Repeat for the other cotton and felted wool end strips.

2.Sew the end strips to the ends of the table topper, with the cotton strip next to the table topper. Press the seam allowances toward the cotton end strips.

3.Layer and baste the quilt. Quilt by hand or machine, and bind. Refer to Finishing Techniques.