“Happy New Year” Instructions

Materials requirements for one 20” appliquéd table topper/mat

These requirements are for non-directional prints

All fabrics used in my version of the project are from my “Dot-to-Dot” collection from Robert

Kaufman Fabrics. The colors listed are the actual names used in the collection.

Fabrics

Nightfall for Background: 21 x 21” square

Garnet for Letters: 7 x 9” piece

Tangerine for Letters: 7 x 9” piece

Marigold for Stars & Binding: fat quarter

Royal, Kiwi, and Violet for Confetti: 6 x 6” each of three different fabrics

Backing: 22 x 22” fabric of choice

Other MaterialsWarm & Natural Cotton Batting: one 22 x 22” piece

I use Warm & Natural for the stability and body it gives the piece. This is especially helpful when

satin stitching and eliminates the need for tear-away stabilizer.

Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 fusible adhesive (18” wide): ½ yard

I use Lite Steam-a-Seam 2 because it’s not stiff in the finished piece and it’s easy to stitch

through without gumming up the needle.

Thread for quilting and satin stitching

For quilting and satin stitching I used a 90/14 topstitching needle.

Cut the Fabrics

From the Nightfall/Background fabric, cut the scalloped background in the following manner:

Follow the instructions on the Scalloped Top template to make a whole template.

Fold the 21 x 21” black background square in half and then in half again so that you’ve

“quartered” it into a 10½” square.

Align template straight edges (fabric fold line) on folded fabric edges as shown in

Illustration A. Cut along the scalloped line only. Don’t unfold yet!

Lightly press the folds to create a guide for appliqué placement. Unfold fabric as shown in

Illustration B.

From the Marigold fabric piece

Cut a 15 x 15” square from the Marigold piece to be used for the bias binding. Set it aside for

now.

Prepare the Appliqué Templates

Lay the fusible adhesive, paper side up, over the appliqué templates and trace them onto the

paper side allowing about ½” space between the traced templates. Trace 2 of letters ‘a’, ‘e’, and

‘p’ and one of each remaining letter. Trace 3 of each star template.

I used 12 confetti pieces (4 each of royal, kiwi and violet). You can trace the templates provided

create your own variety of shapes and sizes.

Roughly cut the templates out about ¼” outside of the traced line.

Fuse the Appliqués

Remove the paper backing from the appliqués. Referring to the Placement Diagram, arrange the

appliqués on the right side of the scalloped top using the following tips:

Letters are placed in a circular line about 1” from the innermost scalloped edge of the topper.

Randomly add stars and confetti.

When you are satisfied with the placement of the appliqués, fuse them into place.

Quilting

Sandwich the batting between the top and backing and quilt as desired over the entire quilt, including the

appliqués. I used Sulky gold metallic thread and a fairly dense “loopy” meandering path over the entire

quilt top. If you want your appliqués to have a raw, unfinished edge, the quilting will secure the appliqués

and you can skip to the Binding instructions. If you would like to finish the edges of the appliqués, go to

next step for satin stitching.

Satin Stitching

I used satin stitching to finish the edges of the appliqués. Using a narrow stitch width (I use the 2.5 setting

most often), and a stitch length as short and tight as you can handle, satin stitch around all of the letters,

stars, and confetti pieces.

I used Premium Sulky® 40 wt. rayon thread in coordinating colors. You can also use gold metallic thread

if you want a more “glitzy” look.

Binding

Because the mat has curved edges, you’ll need to bind them with strips cut on the bias. Use your

preferred method to do this or follow the instructions below to create continuous bias strips and complete

the binding.

Cut the Bias Binding fabric square in half once diagonally (45 degree angle). Place the two

triangle pieces right sides together along straight edge as shown in Illustration C. Press.

Using a gridded transparent ruler, measure from the long diagonal edge and draw a parallel line

every 2½” on the wrong side of the fabric piece as shown in Illustration D.

Fold the marked piece right sides together to form a tube, aligning the edges and pinning the

marked lines so one width of the binding extends beyond the edge on each side as shown in

Illustration E. Sew the tube together and press the seam open. Cut on the marked line to make

one continuous 2½”-wide bias binding strip.

As in Illustration F, fold one end of the bias strip at a 45-degree angle to create a point and press.

Fold the binding strip in half lengthwise with the wrong sides together and the raw long edges

aligned. Press.

Place the folded binding strip on the right side of the quilt top aligning raw edges. Stitch through

all layers using a ¼”-wide seam allowance.

When you return to where you started, stitch the binding beyond the fold you made in the strip at

the beginning about ½”. Backstitch a few stitches, clip threads and cut off excess binding. Cut the

batting and backing fabric even with the quilt top.

Turn the binding over the quilt edge aligning the fold of the binding with the machine stitching you

just finished. Pin the binding in place.

Sew the binding onto the backing. You can do this by machine, from the front, or by hand from

the back. If you choose to stitch the binding to the back by machine, lap the binding folded edge

over the seam line use to attach the binding to the front. Then, stitch as close to the binding seam

as possible from the front, catching the overlapped binding fold on back. If I miss a spot of two, I

just finish it by hand.

Sulky is a registered trademark of Sulky of America.

Scalloped Top Template 1

Fabric Fold LineFab

ric Fold

Line

Fabric

Fold L

ine

Scalloped TopWhole Template Whole Background

Cut Piece

Fabric

Fold L

ines

Illustration A

Illustration B

Fabric Folded Edge

Fabric Folded Edge

Black Background folded piece

Scalloped TopWhole Template

This is 1/2 of the template you’ll use to cut out the quilt background. To create the whole template:

1) Cut out the half template on the solid line. 2) Place one half template on top of the other overlapping so that the dashed lines are one on top of the other. 3) Tape the half templates together.

Scalloped Top Template 2

This is 1/2 of the template you’ll use to cut out the quilt background. To create the whole template:

1) Cut out the half template on the solid line. 2) Place one half template on top of the other overlapping so that the dashed lines are one on top of the other. 3) Tape the half templates together.

2

2

2

Trace and cut as many confetti pieces as desired

3

3