Tiny Pieces Table Topper

Inspired by Time & Again from designer Ann Hermes

Quilt tester: Laura Boehnke

• 6" square red print (center unit)
• 1/8 yard cream print (units)
• Scrap of dark blue print (center unit)
• 1/8 yard olive green print (units, border)
• 1/8 yard cream floral (units)
• 3/8 yard blue polka dot (units, border, binding)
• 6" square green-and-red stripe (units)
• 1/4 yard red tone-on-tone (border)
• 3/4 yard backing fabric
• 25" square batting

Finished quilt: 16-3/4" square

Finished block: 12-3/4" 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 red print, cut:

• 4--2-3/4" squares

From cream print, cut:

• 8--2-3/4" squares
• 1--1-1/4x6" strip
• 4--1-1/4x2-3/4" rectangles
• 8--1-1/4" squares

From dark blue print, cut:

• 1--1-1/4" square

From olive green print, cut:

• 36--1-3/8x2-1/4" rectangles
• 20--1-1/4" squares

From cream floral, cut:

• 1--1-1/4x23" strip
• 8--2x2-3/4" rectangles
• 16--1-1/4" squares

From blue polka dot, cut:

• 2--2-1/2x42" binding strips
• 1--1-1/4x23" strip
• 1--11-/4x6" strip
• 40--1-3/8x2-1/4" rectangles
• 8--1-1/4" squares

From green-and-red stripe, cut:

• 4--1-1/4x2-3/4" rectangles

From red tone-on-tone, cut:

• 152--1-3/8" squares

Referring to Diagram 1, lay out four red print 2-3/4" squares, four cream print 1-1/4x2-3/4" rectangles, and dark blue print 1-1/4" square in three rows. Sew together; press seams toward red print squares. Join rows to make center unit. Press seams away from middle row. The center unit should be 5-3/4" square including seam allowances.

1. Referring to Diagram 2, sew together two olive green print 1-1/4" squares and two cream floral 1-1/4" squares in pairs. Press seams toward olive green. Join pairs to make a Four-Patch unit. Press seam in one direction. The unit should be 2" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Four-Patch units total.

2. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out two cream print 1-1/4" squares, three olive green print 1-1/4" squares, two cream floral 1-1/4" squares, and two blue polka dot 1-1/4" squares in three rows. Sew together pieces in each row. Press seams toward olive green and blue polka dot. Join rows to make a Nine-Patch unit. Press seams in one direction. The unit should be 2-3/4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four Nine-Patch units total.

3. Referring to Diagram 4, sew together one Four-Patch unit, one Nine-Patch unit, and two cream floral 2x2-3/4" rectangles in pairs. Press seams away from rectangles. Join pairs to make a corner unit. Press seam toward row with Nine-Patch unit. The corner unit should be 4-1/4" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make four corner units total.

1. Sew together one blue polka dot 1-1/4x23" strip and one cream floral 1-1/4x23" strip to make strip set A (Diagram 5). Press seam toward blue polka dot. Cut strip set into eight 2-3/4"-wide A segments.

2. Sew together one blue polka dot 1-1/4x6" strip and one cream print 1-1/4x6" strip to make strip set B (Diagram 6). Press seam toward blue polka dot. Cut strip set into four 1-1/4"-wide B segments.

3. Referring to Diagram 7, sew together two A segments, one B segment, two cream print 2-3/4" squares, and one green-and-red stripe 1-1/4x2-3/4" rectangle in two rows. Press seams toward A segments and green-and-red stripe rectangle. Join rows to make a side unit; press seam toward row with A and B segments. The side unit should be 5-3/4x4-1/4" including seam allowances. Repeat to make four side units total.

Referring to Quilt Assembly Diagram, sew together center unit, side units, and corner units in three rows. Press seams away from side units. Join rows to make quilt center. Press seams in one direction. The quilt center should be 13-1/4" square including seam allowances.

1. Use a pencil or white dressmaker's pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of red tone-on-tone 1-3/8" squares.

2. Align a marked red tone-on-tone square with one end of a blue polka dot 1-3/8x2-1/4" rectangle (Diagram 8). Stitch on marked line and trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press attached triangle open, pressing seam toward blue polka dot. Align a second marked red tone-on-tone square with remaining end of rectangle. Stitch, trim, and press as before to make a blue Flying Geese unit. The unit should be 2-1/4x1-3/8" including seam allowances.

3. Repeat Step 2 to make 40 blue Flying Geese units total.

4. Using olive green print 1-3/8x2-1/4" rectangles instead of blue polka dot, repeat Step 2 to make 36 green Flying Geese units.

5. Referring to Diagram 9, sew together nine blue Flying Geese units in a row. Press seams in one direction. Then sew together eight green Flying Geese units in a row. Offsetting seams, join pieced rows to make a short border strip (Diagram 10). Repeat to make a second short border strip.

6. Center and add a short border strip to one edge of quilt center. Press seam toward border strip. Trim excess border strip even with quilt center edges (red lines on Quilt Assembly Diagram). Repeat to add remaining short border strip to opposite edge of quilt center.

7. Join 11 blue Flying Geese units in a row. Press seams in one direction. Then sew together 10 green Flying Geese units in a row. Offsetting seams, join pieced rows to make a long border strip (Quilt Assembly Diagram). Repeat to make a second long border strip.

8. Center and add long border strips to remaining edges of quilt center. Press seams toward border strips. Trim excess border strips even with quilt center edges to complete quilt top.

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

2. Bind with blue polka dot binding strips.