During our February retreat, I began this project by making a couple of hundred half square triangles using Moda Cake Mix Recipe papers, set #3. I sewed a bunch of them into pinwheels, not really knowing where the design would go next.
Without a better plan, I thought about making a smaller version of Quadrille for taking to speaking events. So, I started making those blocks. However, once I got going, I realized that the small size of these HSTs have really obscured the bee and honey theme I wanted. If I do more with the other prints, I am going to lose the essence of the line. While the colors are pretty, I wanted more in terms of the prints showing.
So I stopped with nine blocks, and made a small topper for the table. I set up the blocks to sew together with the Web Method of assembly.
In a short time, all the blocks were sewn together.
The border is just plain, not the pieced one I did on the pattern.
I loaded it on the longarm on a warm and dry day, opening the windows to let in fresh air.
The quilting went quickly on such a small project. I used a swirly design with a hint of feathers in the quilting. It is a pantograph from either Willow Leaf, or Urban Elementz, but I cannot remember which.
The quilting was done in Glide thread in white on the top and pale yellow Bottom Line on the back.
All done in short order. It took less time to quilt than it did to load.
Here’s another look at the quilting design. I like how it came out.
The binding was sewed to the front, and stitched to the back by hand. I do like having hand work for watching sports on the weekends. The daisy print on the back is so pretty with the purples, and it makes the little topper reversible.
So, all finished, it seemed appropriate to set a table with it. I pulled out some yellow chargers and looked for an appropriate centerpiece.
I’ll show you the full tablescape on Sunday. I stamped more cards this week, and I’ll show you those later, too.
What are you sewing this week?
From My Carolina Home 
I love that cheerful, happy yellow. It just makes me smile!
I made 12 blocks with odd size rodeo theme prints. Each print had to be framed out to make it 12.5” uniform size. Sashed with navy and rust corner blocks.
Now it needs final pressing then sandwich & tie. I allow myself 6 quilts a year to be professionally quilted otherwise I tie or sometimes I attempt straight line quilting on my domestic machine.
I have a great piece of flannel from a garage sale for the backing. All washed, dried ready to go.
Yellow and gray is classic. Love the design! Have a great weekend.
That is a beautiful table topper. Do you have a plan for the fabric you didn’t use and wanted to see more of? Haven’t been sewing…organizing and cleaning is my mode for the next few weeks!
Cute table topper. Is your quilting with a paper pantograph or with a computer ?
I use paper pantographs, I do not have a computerized machine. Sometimes I do freehand and ruler work, but it is all hand guided.
Thanks Carole. I have a long arm now and have only done one pantograph. That takes a bit of getting used to for me. But yours looks great. Sometimes I feel like I cant quite tell what the pattern is to look like. Any tips ?
Thanks. Your do such beautiful work
Brenda
Just keep practicing and quilting. Experience is the best teacher.
I certainly agree !!
That’s very pretty and one of my favorite color combinations.
What a cheerful table topper! I love it when I have small projects that quilt and finish up so quickly – it can be a nice change of pace after larger projects.
Your tabletopper is really pretty, Carole! I love the colors – the grays and the honey-colored pieces. And the Quadrille design is a favorite of mine – I want to make it again, too. Looking forward to seeing your tablescape using this topper!
Happy Easter Weekend! Kids are on their way over – they go to the in-laws on Sunday. And this pattern is absolutely wonderful – looks complicated, but you’ve broken it down to “edible” bits! Thanks!
Love the colors in this topper..I also love the windows behind your longarm.
Carole, I think your table topper is beautiful in every respect! The bees show up nicely and the border brings out the beauty of all the fabrics. The quilting pattern is perfect. You do such talented work! Thank you for sharing. - I’ve been doing a little of this and a little of that, going thru scraps of some year long projects and putting them more in order and pressing some batik pieces that didn’t make it that far when the kids washed them during our move. They had been in our empty house for a few months so needed to be run through the washer. All is well. 🙂
Your yellow bee fabric is perfect for a spring table topper. I like that size for baby quilts too. This weekend I’m machine binding a baby quilt & a kid size quilt, FMQ quilting a kid size quilt, & cutting a kid size to sew at our Tuesday Sew day. If I have time, there’s a twin top to baste. It’s already dinner time on Friday, getting to the last item seems unlikely. 😉
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That is a sweet little quilt. Perfect for Easter.
Really cute table topper. It does look perfect for Easter.
That’s really cute! I hope you had a beautiful Easter!