Autumn Prairie Points Table Topper

Inspired by Happy Holidays from designer Cyndi Walker of Stitch Studios

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 1/2 yard total assorted light to medium prints in green, red, gold, and orange (block, prairie points)
• 1/3 yard cream print (block, quilt center)
• 1/4 yard rust print (quilt center)
• 1/8 yard blue print (inner border)
• 5/8 yard tan print (outer border, binding)
• 9x18" piece (fat eighth) multicolor circle print (outer border corners)
• 1 yard backing fabric
• 35" square batting

Finished quilt: 26-1/2" square

Finished block: 8" square

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.

From assorted light to medium prints, cut:

• 36--3" squares
• 40--1-1/2" squares

From cream print, cut:

• 4--2-1/2x3-1/2" rectangles
• 36--2-1/2" squares
• 8--1-1/2x2-1/2" rectangles
• 4--1-1/2" squares

From rust print, cut:

• 16--2-1/2x4-1/2" rectangles
• 4--2-1/2" squares

From blue print, cut:

• 2--1-1/2x18-1/2" inner border strips
• 2--1-1/2x16-1/2" inner border strips

From tan print, cut:

• 3--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 4--4-1/2x18-1/2" outer border strips

From multicolor circle print, cut:

• 4--4-1/2" squares

1. Sew together four assorted light to medium print 1-1/2" squares in pairs (Diagram 1). Press seams in opposite directions. Join pairs to make a Four-Patch unit. Press seam in one direction. The Four-Patch unit should be 2-1/2" square including seam allowances.

2. Repeat Step 1 to make five Four-Patch units total.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each remaining assorted light to medium print 1-1/2" square.

2. Align a marked assorted print square with one end of a cream print 1-1/2x2-1/2" rectangle (Diagram 2). Stitch on marked line and trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press attached triangle open, pressing seam toward assorted print.

3. Align a second marked assorted print square with remaining end of Step 2 rectangle. Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a small Flying Geese unit (Diagram 2). The unit should be 2-1/2x1-1/2" including seam allowances.

4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make eight small Flying Geese units total.

1. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out a Four-Patch unit, two small Flying Geese units, and a cream print 1-1/2" square in two rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams away from small Flying Geese units. Join rows to make a corner unit. Press seam in one direction. The corner unit should be 3-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

2. Referring to Diagram 4, lay out four corner units, four cream print 2-1/2x3-1/2" rectangles, and remaining Four-Patch unit in three rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward cream print rectangles. Join rows to make center block. Press seams toward middle row. The center block should be 8-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong sides of 24 cream print 2-1/2" squares.

2. Referring to Assemble Small Flying Geese Units, steps 2 and 3, use two marked cream print 2-1/2" squares and one rust print 2-1/2x4-1/2" rectangle to make a large Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 4-1/2x2-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make 12 large Flying Geese units total.

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, join two cream print 2-1/2" squares and one large Flying Geese unit to make a short inner background strip. Press seams toward squares. Repeat to make four short inner background strips total.

2. Sew cream print 2-1/2" squares to ends of two short inner background strips to make two long inner background strips. Press seams away from squares just added.

3. Sew short inner background strips to opposite edges of center block. Add long inner background strips to remaining edges. Press all seams away from center block.

4. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together two large Flying Geese units and one rust print 2-1/2x4-1/2" rectangle to make a short outer background strip. Press seams toward rectangle. Repeat to make four short outer background strips total.

5. Sew rust print 2-1/2" squares to ends of two short outer background strips to make two long outer background strips. Press seams away from squares just added.

6. Sew short outer background strips to opposite edges of center block. Add long outer background strips to remaining edges to complete quilt center. Press all seams away from center block. The quilt center should be 16-1/2" square including seam allowances.

1. Sew blue print 1-1/2x16-1/2" inner border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Add blue print 1-1/2x18-1/2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border.

2. Fold an assorted light or medium print 3" square in half diagonally with wrong side inside to make a triangle; press. Fold triangle in half again and press to make a prairie point (Diagram 5). Repeat with remaining assorted light and medium print 3" squares to make 36 prairie points total.

3. Referring to Diagram 6, position nine prairie points on one long edge of a tan print outer border strip, starting and stopping 1/2" from each end. Space prairie points evenly and overlap adjacent edges; make sure all double-folded edges face in the same direction. Once you are satisfied with placement of prairie points, pin in place, then machine-baste them to border strip with a scant 1/4" seam to make a short outer border strip. Repeat with remaining tan print outer border strips and remaining prairie points.

4. Sew multicolor circle print 4-1/2" squares to ends of two short outer border strips to make two long outer border strips. Press seams toward multicolor circle print squares.

5. Sew short outer border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Sew long outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward inner border, making sure tips of prairie points point toward outer border.

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

7. Bind with tan print binding strips.