Merry Little Christmas Topper

INSPIRED BY: Nordic Sweater from designer Stephanie Luiere 

QUILT TESTER: Diane Tomlinson

FABRICS are from the Alpine Winter collection by Deborah Edwards for Northcott.

FINISHED QUILT: 27" square

FINISHED BLOCKS: 10-1⁄2" square

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 1⁄4 yard red print (blocks)
• 1⁄2 yard cream print (blocks)
• 1⁄3 yard each green print and solid black (blocks, binding)
• 10" square gold print (blocks, sashing)
• 3⁄8 yard red plaid (sashing, border)
• 1 yard backing fabric 
• 35"-square batting

Cut pieces in the following order.

From red print, cut:

• 1—2×28" strip
• 2—2×10" strips
• 8—2×5" rectangles
• 4—2" squares

From cream print, cut:

• 2—3-1⁄2×28" strips
• 2—2×28" strips

From green print, cut:

• 2—2×28" strips
• 16—2×5" rectangles

From gold print, cut:

• 4—2-1⁄2" squares
• 1—2×10" strip
• 1—2" square

From red plaid, cut:

• 4—2-1⁄2×23" border strips
• 4—2×11" sashing strips

From solid black, cut:

• 3—2-1⁄2×42" binding strips

Measurements include 1⁄4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1. Sew together red print 2×28" strip and one cream print 3-1⁄2×28" strip to make Strip Set A (Diagram 1). Cut strip set into twelve 2"-wide A segments.

2. Sew together cream print 2×28" strips and one green print 2×28" strip to make Strip Set B (Diagram 2). Cut strip set into twelve 2"-wide B segments.

3. Sew together remaining green print 2×28" strip and remaining cream print 3-1⁄2×28" strip to make Strip Set C (Diagram 3). Cut strip set into twelve 2"-wide C segments.

4. Sew together red print 2×10" strips and gold print 2×10" strip to make Strip Set D (Diagram 4). Cut strip set into four 2"-wide D segments.

1. Referring to Diagram 5 for segment orientation, sew together an A segment, B segment, and C segment to make Unit 1. The unit should be 5" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make six total of Unit 1.

2. Reversing A and C segment orientations, repeat Step 1 to make six of Unit 2 (Diagram 6).

3. Referring to Diagram 7, sew together two red print 2×5" rectangles and one D segment to make Unit 3. The unit should be 5" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four total of Unit 3.

4. Referring to Diagram 8, lay out one Unit 1, four green print 2×5" rectangles, two of Unit 2, one red print 2" square, and one Unit 3 in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make Block A. The block should be 11" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make a second A block.

5. Referring to Diagram 9, repeat Step 4 using two of Unit 1, four green print 2×5" rectangles, one Unit 2, one red print 2" square, and one Unit 3 to make Block B. Repeat to make a second B block. 

1. Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, lay out blocks, red plaid 2×11" sashing strips, and gold print 2" sashing square in three rows.

2. Sew together pieces in rows. Press seams toward sashing strips. Join rows to make quilt center; press seams away from block rows. The quilt center should be 23" square including seam allowances. 

3. Sew gold print 2-1⁄2" squares to ends of two red plaid 2-1⁄2×23" border strips to make pieced border strips. Press seams toward red plaid strips. Sew remaining red plaid 2-1⁄2×23" border strips to opposite edges of quilt center. Sew pieced border strips to remaining edges of quilt center to complete quilt. Press seams toward border.

1. Layer quilt top, batting, and backing; baste. 

2. Quilt as desired. Handi Quilter Studio Educator Kimberly Sandberg executed a medallion-based quilting design (Quilting Diagram). She started in the center and worked her way out using rounds of various designs, including Dawn's Block 003 and Dawn's Border 002 and 003 from the Sweet Dreams Quilt Studio folder in the Pro-Stitcher library. She used Superior Thread Military Gold metallic thread to add sparkle.

3. Bind with solid black binding strips.