Avian Table Topper

Inspired by Follow the Leader from designer Lanie Tiffenbach

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 18x22" piece (fat quarter) bird print (blocks)
• 18x22" piece (fat quarter) each of green, pink, and purple grass prints (blocks, middle border)
• 9x22" piece (fat eighth) each light pink, light green, and lavender print (corner triangles)
• 1/8 yard strip green floral (sashing)
• 5/8 yard purple floral (sashing, inner and outer borders, binding)
• 18x22" piece (fat quarter) cream floral (middle border)
• 9x22" piece (fat eighth) pink floral medallion (middle border)
• 1-1/2 yards backing fabric
• 29x49" batting

Finished quilt: 21x41"

Finished blocks: 6" square; 8-1/2" 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 bird print, cut:

• 3--3-1/2" squares
• 12--2" squares

From green grass print, cut:

• 8--2x3-1/2" rectangles
• 4--5-1/4" squares
• 8--3" squares, cutting each in half diagonally to make 16 small triangles total

From pink grass print, cut:

• 4--2x3-1/2" rectangles
• 4--5-1/4" squares

From purple grass print, cut:

• 3--5-1/4" squares

From each light pink, light green, and lavender, print, cut:

• 2--5-1/2" squares, cutting each in half diagonally for 12 corner triangles total

From green floral, cut:

• 2--1-1/2x9" sashing strips

From purple floral, cut:

• 4--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 2--1-3/4x41" outer border strips
• 2--1-3/4x18-1/2" outer border strips

From cream floral, cut:

• 44--2-7/8" squares
• 2--1-3/4x9" inner border strips
• 2--1-1/4x30-1/2" inner border strips

From pink floral medallion, cut:

• 4--3-1/4" squares

1. Referring to Diagram 1, lay out one bird print 3-1/2" square, four bird print 2" squares, and four green grass print 2x3-1/2" rectangles in three rows.

2. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward rectangles. Join rows to make a green uneven Nine-Patch block. Press seams in one direction. The block should be 6-1/2" square including seam allowances.

3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 to make a second green uneven Nine-Patch block.

4. Using pink grass print rectangles instead of green grass print, repeat steps 1 and 2 to make a pink uneven Nine-Patch block.

1. Referring to Diagram 2, add pink print corner triangles to opposite edges of a green uneven Nine-Patch block; press seams toward triangles. Add pink print corner triangles to remaining edges to make a Square-in-a-Square block; press seams toward triangles. Trim block to 9" square including seam allowances.

2. Using light green print corner triangles and pink uneven Nine-Patch block, repeat Step 1 to make a second Square-in-a-Square block.

3. Using lavender print corner triangles and remaining green uneven Nine-Patch block, repeat Step 1 to make a third Square-in-a-Square block.

4. Sew together Square-in-a-Square blocks and green floral 1-1/2x9" sashing strips to make quilt center. Press seams toward sashing strips. The quilt center should be 9x28" including seam allowances.

Sew purple floral 1-3/4x9" inner border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add 1-1/4x30-1/2" inner border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border. The quilt center now should be 10-1/2x30-1/2" including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil to draw a diagonal line on wrong side of each cream floral 2-7/8" square.

2. Referring to Diagram 3, align two marked cream floral squares with opposite corners of a pink grass print 5-1/4" square; the cream floral squares will overlap in the center. Sew a scant 1/4" from drawn lines on both sides of lines. Cut apart on drawn lines to make two triangle units (Diagram 4). Press triangle units open, pressing seams toward cream floral triangles.

3. Referring to Diagram 5, align a marked cream floral square with pink grass print corner of a triangle unit. Sew a scant 1/4" from drawn line on both sides of line. Cut apart on drawn line (Diagram 6). Press cream floral triangles open, pressing seams toward cream floral triangles to make two Flying Geese units. Each unit should be 4-1/2x2-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat with remaining triangle unit to make two additional Flying Geese units.

4.  Repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 16 pink Flying Geese units total.

5. Using green grass print 5-1/4" squares instead of pink grass print, repeat steps 2 and 3 to make 16 green Flying Geese units total.

6. Using purple grass print 5-1/4" squares instead of pink grass print, repeat steps 2 and 4 to make 12 purple Flying Geese units.

1. Referring to Diagram 7, sew green grass print small triangles to opposite edges of a pink floral medallion 3-1/4" square. Add green grass print small triangles to remaining edges to make a Square-in-a-Square unit. Press all seams toward green grass print triangles. Trim Square-in-a-Square unit to 4-1/2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Square-in-a-Square units total.

2. Sew together five Flying Geese units to make a short middle border strip (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Press seams in one direction. The strip should be 4-1/2x10-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second short middle border strip.

3. Sew together 15 Flying Geese units and two Square-in-a-Square units to make a long middle border strip. Press seams at ends toward Square-in-a-Square units; press remaining seams in one direction. The long middle border strip should be 4-1/2x38-1/2" including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second long middle border strip. (You will have four Flying Geese units left over.)

4. Sew short middle border strips to short edges of quilt center. Join long middle border strips to remaining edges. Press all seams toward inner border. The quilt center now should be 18-1/2x38-1/2" including seam allowances.

Sew purple floral 1-3/4x18-1/2" outer border strips to short edges of quilt center. Add purple floral 1-3/4x41" outer border strips to remaining edges to complete quilt top. Press all seams toward outer border.

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

2. Bind with purple floral binding strips.