Gnome Sweet Gnome

Designer: Tammy Gilley

• 1/2 yard red snowflake print (Santa body appliqué, sashing, border, binding)
• 2--18x22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted red prints (Santa beard and flower appliqués, sashing, border)
• 3--18x22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted light blue prints (window and door appliqués, appliqué foundations, sashing, border)
• 2--18x22" pieces (fat quarters) assorted green prints (tree, wreath, leaf, stem, and lawn appliqués; sashing; border)
• 18x22" piece (fat quarter) pink print (house appliqué, appliqué foundation, sashing, border)
• 18x22" piece (fat quarter) light dot (roof appliqué, sashing, border)
• 18x22" piece (fat quarter) yellow print (moon appliqué, sashing, border)
• Scraps of solid white, solid black, small red dot, and brown dot (Santa eye and face appliqués; heart appliqué; trunk appliqué)
• 1/4 yard narrow white rickrack
• 11/2 yards backing fabric
• 20x49" batting
• Black embroidery floss
• Freezer paper

Finished quilt: 13-1/2x42-1/2"

Finished blocks: 11" square, 11x16"

Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Cut pieces in the following order.

Click on "Download this Project" for patterns. Designer Tammy Gilley places freezer paper on a fabric's wrong side to prepare pieces for needle-turn appliqué. To use this method, refer to Prepare Appliqués, below, before cutting out appliqués.

From red snowflake print, cut:

• 5--2-1/2x30" binding strips
• 1--1-1/2x21" strip
• 1 of Pattern A

From one assorted red print, cut:

• 1--1-1/2x21" strip
• 1 of Pattern B

From remaining red print, cut:

• 2--1-1/2x21" strips
• 4 of Pattern G

From one light blue print, cut:

• 1--1-1/2x21" strip
• 1 each of patterns L and M
• 2 of Pattern N

From remaining light blue prints, cut:

• 1--13x15" rectangle
• 1--13" square
• 2--1-1/2x21" strips

From one green print, cut:

• 1--1-1/2x21" strip
• 1 each of patterns E, P, R, and T
• 12 of Pattern H
• 4 of Pattern F

From remaining green print, cut:

• 1--6x13" rectangle
• 1 each of patterns Q and S

From pink print, cut:

• 1--13" square
• 1--1-1/2x21" strip
• 1 of Pattern I

From light dot, cut:

• 1--1-1/2x21" strip
• 1 of Pattern J

From yellow print, cut:

• 1--1-1/2x21" strip
• 1 of Pattern U

From solid white, cut:

• 1 of Pattern C

From solid black, cut:

• 2 of Pattern D

From small red dot, cut:

• 1 of Pattern K

From brown dot, cut:

• 1 of Pattern O

1. Lay freezer paper, shiny side down, over patterns. Use a pencil to trace each pattern the number of times indicated in cutting instructions. Cut out freezer-paper shapes on drawn lines.

2. Using a hot dry iron, press a template, shiny side down, onto wrong side of designated fabric; let cool.

3. Cut out appliqué piece, adding a 1/4" seam allowance to edges. Do not remove freezer-paper shape.

4. Clip curves of appliqué fabric shapes, then finger-press the edges of the fabric over the edge of the freezer-paper shape to the back of the template TIP: Don't skip finger-pressing. It helps get pressing started, which is especially useful around tricky curves.

5. Using tip of a hot dry iron, turn seam allowance over edge of freezer-paper template and press firmly. Press entire seam allowance, ensuring fabric is pressed taut against template. Do not turn under any areas that will be overlapped. TIP: Use a crafts iron, which is smaller than a regular iron, for pressing appliqué pieces.

6. Turn appliqué piece right side up and lightly press fabric side. Carefully peel off template.

7. Repeat steps 2–6 to prepare each appliqué piece.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out appliqué pieces A–D on a light blue print 13" square appliqué foundation.

2. Working from bottom layer to top, secure each piece using appliqué pins.

3. Using thread that matches the appliqué and a small slip-stitch, hand-appliqué each piece in place, turning under 1/4" seam allowance with your needle as you sew.

4. Trim appliqué foundation to 11-1/2" square including seam allowances to complete Santa block.

5. Referring to photo, position 6" piece of rickrack on top edge of B beard and C Santa face. Stitch through center of rickrack, turning under ends at edge of A piece.

6. Using appliqué pieces E–H and pink print 13" square appliqué foundation, repeat steps 1–4 to complete wreath block.

7. Sew together 13" edges of green print 6x13" rectangle and light blue print 13x15" rectangle to make house block appliqué foundation. Press seam toward green print rectangle.

8. Using appliqué pieces I–U and house block appliqué foundation, repeat steps 1–3. Trim appliqué foundation to 11-1/2x16-1/2" including seam allowances to complete house block.

1. Join long edges of assorted print 1-1/2x21" strips to make a strip set. Press seams in one direction. Cut strip set into thirteen 1-1/2"-wide segments (Strip Set Diagram).

2. Cut and piece 1-1/2"-wide segments to make:

• 2--1-1/2x42-1/2" border strips
• 2--1-1/2x11-1/2" border strips
• 2--1-1/2x11-1/2" sashing strips

3. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together sashing strips and appliquéd blocks. Press seams toward appliquéd blocks. The quilt center should be 11-1/2x40-1/2 including seam allowances.

4. Sew short border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add long border strips to remaining edges of quilt center to complete quilt top. Press seams toward quilt center.

5. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. Quilt as desired.

6. Bind with red snowflake print binding strips.