Spring-Themed Table Topper with Butterfly Embroidery

This simple but attractive Spring-themed table topper features the designs from the Cutwork Butterfly and Flower Set for a large, 5" x 7" (130 x 180 mm), hoop.
The finished size of the table topper is about 20" x 27" .

You will need

• about 1/2 yard of dark pink cotton fabric,
• 1/4 yard of red fabric, and
• 1 fat quarter of white fabric.

You will also need batting and the fabric for backin and binding.
For embroidery you will need water soluble mesh stabilizer and embroidery threads.

Cutting:

Out of red fabric cut

• 10 strips measuring 3" x 6",
• one square measuring 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" and
• 2 strips measuring 2 1/2" x 23 1/2".

Out of white fabric cut 20 squares measuring 3" x 3";
Out of pink fabric cut

• 2 strips measuring 2 1/2" x 23 1/2 and
• 2 strips measuring 2 1/2" x 21".

On the remainder of the pink fabric, draw a 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" square. Draw it far from the edges of the fabric and do not cut it out yet - you need the margins wide enough hoop conveniently.

Embroidery:

We used the designs from the Cutwork Butterfly and Flower Set for a large, 5" x 7" (130 x 180mm) hoop.

Mark the center of the pink square. Using designs' paper print-outs, make a composition to your liking. We embroidered 2 butterflies facing each other, and 2 flowers on both sides of the butterflies. There were 4 total re-hoopings.

If you have a hoop larger than 5" x 7", you can use the designs to make a composition right on the screen of your machine.

Embroider the designs as described in the instructions.
Cut away the excess stabilizer. Wash away the remainder.
Cut out the 12" x 12" square.
Place the pink square with embroidery on the red 12" x 12" square. Align all edges, pin them together. Baste-stitch 1/8" from the edge. Press. The red fabric will show through the holes in the Cutwork embroidery.

Assembly of the Top

For the quilt, you need to sew 10 "flying geese" strips. Take 10 red rectangles and 20 white squares. For each part you will need 1 rectangle and 2 squares.

Position the rectangle on your working table, face up. Position one of the squares, face down, on the right of the rectangle. Align the sides.

With a thin graphic pencil, draw a diagonal to connect the upper left corner and the lower right corner.

Machine stitch along the diagonal.
Cut the excess fabric, leaving 1/4" seam allowance.
Unfold the white fabric and press.

Repeat for the other side of the strip.
You will need 10 such flying geese parts.

Sew 2 strips with 5 flying geese in each. Seam allowance 1/4".

Sew the flying geese borders to the left and right edges of the central, embroidered part with seam allowance 1/4".

Sew the red borders to the upper and lower edges.

Now sew the pink borders to the quilt - first the upper and lower, then the left and right ones.

Quilting and Finishing:

Now place the backing/lining on a flat surface (table) face down. Cover with batting. Spread your working piece over it.

Pin all three layers together with 1" pins. We quilted around the embroidery and all over the mat in a free-motion style. Remove the pins while quilting.

Press the work with heavy steam and square the work -- all corners should be 90 degrees and opposite sides should be of the same length. You can leave the edges straight, or you can try, as we did, to make wavy edges.

Finish the raw edges with binding.

Enjoy!

Happy Stitching!

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