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Quilted Table Topper with Fruit Embroidery

This colorful and cozy table topper is perfect for September, which is harvest time in most of the world.

We used a number of embroidery designs featuring fruit, as well as a few quilting patterns. The designs we used are listed in the Embroidery section.

The finished size of the topper is about 40" x 40" .

Quilted Table Topper with Fruit Embroidery image 1

Click to enlarge

You will need:

about 1 yard of light-colored solid cotton fabric (actually we used 2 fabrics - pale beige for embroidered blocks and pale sage for the pieced blocks, because did not have enough of the first one),
1/2 yard of green fabric,
1 yard of fruit-patterned fabric (we used Picked Fresh by Cynthia Coulter, continuous stripe, code Q1810-42304-172).

You will also need batting and the fabric for backing.

Note: all seam allowances are included and are 1/4". Don't forget to press each seam after you make it.

Blocks for the Central Part:

The central part consists of solid squares for embroidery and pieced blocks. Out of light-colored solid fabric, cut four squares measuring 8 1/2" x 8 1/2".

For the pieced blocks,

out of light-colored fabric cut 5 squares measuring 4 1/2" x 4 1/2",
out of green fabric cut 20 squares measuring 2 1/2" x 2 1/2" and
out of patterned fabric cut 20 strips measuring 2 1/2" x 4 1/2".

Sew the green squares to both ends of ten of the 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" strips.

Sew the remaining ten 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" strips to the upper and lower edges of the 4 1/2" x 4 1/2" squares.

Sew the strips with the green squares to the left and right edges of the working pieces. You will get 5 blocks like this.

Quilted Table Topper with Fruit Embroidery image 4

Blocks for the Borders:

Out of the light-colored fabric cut 4 squares measuring 5 1/2" x 5 1/2" .
Out of the green fabric cut

8 strips measuring 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" and
8 strips measuring 1 1/2" x 7 1/2".

Sew the 1 1/2" x 5 1/2" strips to the upper and lower edges of the squares.
Sew the 1 1/2" x 7 1/2" strips to the left and right edges of the working pieces. Make 4 blocks.

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Borders:

For the first border, out of the green fabric cut 4 strips measuring 1 1/2" x 24 1/2",
Out of the light-colored fabric cut 4 squares measuring 1 1/2" x 1 1/2".

Leave 2 strips as they are.

Sew the 1 1/2" x 1 1/2" squares to the ends of the other two 1 1/2" x 24 1/2" strips.

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For the second border, out of fruit patterned fabric, cut 4 strips measuring 7 1/2" x 26 1/2". Leave 2 strips as they are.

Sew the 7 1/2" x 7 1/2" pieced blocks to the ends of the other two 7 1/2" x 26 1/2" strips.

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Assembly:

Sew the first and the third row using a pieced block, light square, pieced block.

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Sew the second row using a light square, pieced block, light square.

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Sew all rows together.

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Sew the green border to the upper and lower edges of the working piece.

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Sew the green border with the squares on the ends to the left and right edges of the working piece.

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Sew the wide border to the upper and lower edges of the working piece.

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Sew the second border strips with block on the ends to the left and right edges of the working piece.

Embroidery:

Stabilize the fabric with your favorite cut-away or tear away stabilizer. We prefer to use polyester craft felt instead of the stabilizer. Embroider the designs one by one. Cut away excess stabilizer around the embroidery as soon as you finish each stitch-out.
All fruit designs are from the Fruit section of our catalog.

Grapes

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Cherry

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Plums

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Oranges.

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On the pieced blocks, we used the designs from the Quilting Pattern Set II. Embroider these designs on polyester craft felt. Cut away the felt close to the stitches. When quilting, topstitch around the embroidery and make echo-stitching. This will create a trapunto effect.

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Quilted Table Topper with Fruit Embroidery image 21

On the pieced blocks on the borders we used the designs from the Mandala Quilting Pattern Set. Embroider these designs on polyester craft felt. Cut away the felt close to the stitches. When quilting, topstitch around the embroidery and make echo-stitching. You will create a trapunto effect.

Quilted Table Topper with Fruit Embroidery image 22

Quilting and Finishing:

Now place the backing 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 quilt in a free-motion style. Remove the pins as you go.

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.

Finish the raw edges with binding. For the binding , out of green fabric, cut out 4 strips measuring 2 1/2" and the length of the width of the fabric.