Kona Club Challenge - Tulip Tower Table/Sewing Machine Topper by Felicity

We're so excited to have Felicity from Felicity Quilts posting today! Felicity took the Kona Club Challenge this month. Felicity used the colors we sent out in March 2014 for  Kona Club and made this great Tulip Tower Table/Sewing Machine Topper! We hope you enjoy this tutorial and make one of your own! We are giving away the fat quarters that Felicity used in this tutorial so be sure to leave a comment on this post to win!

Don't forget to follow Felicity Quilts for more inspiration and great projects!

Tulip Tower Table/Sewing Machine Topper

Hi there - I'm Felicity and I blog over at Felicity Quilts. I was so happy when Sew Sisters - my favourite online fabric shop - approached me to participate in the Kona Club Challenge!

I was totally inspired by the photograph that accompanied the March 2014 Kona Club bundle - aren't those beautiful tulips? I created a mini quilt that features four graphic tulips, and my daughter declared its name Tulip Tower!

This 16½" x 24½" mini quilt can be a table topper, wall hanging or a machine topper.

Finished size: 16½" x 24½"
All seam allowances ¼".
Press with a hot, dry iron toward the darker fabric or whatever way works best for the situation.

Fabric Requirements:

- 5 Kona Fat Quarters: Bonsai, Sunny, Pansy, Tangerine and Snow
- Batting piece 19" x 27"
- Marking pen with disappearing ink
- The usual quilting supplies

Cutting:

NOTES:
- cut strips parallel to the selvage along the shorter (~18") side of the FQ.
- leave selvage on unless instructed to trim.

Kona Snow:
4 @ 4½" x 18" strips for background. From each strip, cut TWO rectangles 4½" x 8½" for a total of EIGHT rectangles for tulip and leaf set backgrounds.
Trim selvage off remaining strip (it should be around 3½" or so) and set aside for pieced backing.

Kona Pansy:
2 @ 4½" x 18" strip for components of two tulips. From one strip, cut TWO rectangles 4½" x 8½". From the other strip, cut FOUR 4½" squares.
4 @ 1-3/4" x 18" strips for machine topper ties (not required for table topper or mini quilt).
Set aside remaining piece (around 10" x 18") for pieced backing.

Kona Sunny:
1 @ 4½" x 18" strip for components of one tulip. From this strip, cut ONE rectangle 4½" x 8½" and TWO 4½" squares.
3 @ 2¼" x 18" strips for binding.

Kona Tangerine:
1 @ 4½" x 18" strip for components of one tulip. From this strip, cut ONE rectangle 4½" x 8½" and TWO 4½" squares.
Set aside remaining piece (around 17" x 18") for pieced backing.

Kona Bonsai:
2 @ 4½" x 18" strip for components of leaf sets. From these strips, cut a total of EIGHT 4½" squares.
3 @ 2¼" x 18" strips for binding.

Making Tulips:

Each tulip comprises
- 1 coloured flying geese unit with Snow background
- 1 coloured rectangle
- 1 green flying geese unit with Snow background

A. Make flying geese units

2 @ 4½" coloured squares
2 @ 4¼" green squares
2 @ 4½" x 8½" Snow background rectangles

1. Draw a diagonal line on one side of each 4½" square. Use a pencil, pen or - my favourite - a Hera marker.

2. Place one coloured square right side down on a background rectangle, lining up raw edges at one end. Stitch directly on the drawn line.

3. Trim off the corner triangles, leaving a ¼" seam allowance.

4. Press open the triangle, pressing seam toward the coloured triangle (colour switcheroo - ignore, please!).

5. Place another coloured square right side down on the opposite end of the rectangle, making sure the drawn diagonal line on the square is pointing to the center at the top of the rectangle.

6. Stitch along the drawn line, trim the seam allowance to ¼". Press open the triangle, pressing seam toward the coloured triangle.

7. Repeat steps 2 through 6 with green squares to make the green flying geese unit.

B. Assemble tulip components

1 @ coloured flying geese unit
1 @ coloured rectangle
1 @ green flying geese unit

1. Arrange the flying geese units with the matching coloured rectangle as shown, and stitch together.

One tulip with leaves

Tip for perfect points: make sure you're stitching on the side where you can see the intersection of the two seams that made the point. Stitch a seam that's a thread or two less than ¼", so you're stitching just to the right of the seam intersection.

Perfect points!

Making the Topper Top

1. Make three more Tulips - you will have a total of four tulips, two purple (Kona Pansy), one orange (Kona Tangerine) and one yellow (Kona Sunny), each one with its own set of leaves.
2. Arrange the four tulips as shown, or in a way that pleases your eye. Stitch them all together.

Making the Backing

1. Take the three pieces you set aside during the cutting and stitch together, pressing the seams open to reduce bulk. It should measure about 18" x 27". Don't bother removing the selvages - they'll get trimmed off after quilting.

Quilting the Project

1. Layer the backing, batting and top, and baste with your preferred method.
2. Quilt as desired - I stippled the coloured parts in matching thread, free-motion quilted some leaves and a stem in the green flying geese units.

3. Before trimming the batting and backing off, baste around the perimeter of the project using your machine's longest stitch and about a 1/8" seam allowance so it will be hidden in the binding seam.

4. Trim batting and backing even with top, squaring up as necessary.

Making the Binding

1. Join the six 2¼" strips using a bias seam in whatever order you'd like. I chose to alternate the yellow and green strips.
2. Press in half, wrong sides together.
3. If making a table topper only, skip to "Attaching the Binding."

Making the Ties (optional - for machine topper only)

4 @ 1-3/4" strips of Kona Pansy

1. Press down one short end of the strip about 3/8", then press strip in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.

2. Open up the pressed fold, and press each half of the strip up so it meets that centre fold. Press the strip along the centre fold again.

3. Topstitch the tie about 1/16" from the edges, beginning at the end with the raw edge and continuing up and around the opposite end, turning at the corners and finishing up by stitching off the end with the raw edge. Press.

4. Repeat with three other strips to make 4 ties in total.

5. On the back of the topper, use the disappearing pen to make a mark on each side of the topper 2" from the end. This is where the ties will be attached.

6. Place the tie so it's on top of the mark and align the tie's raw edge with the edge of the topper, pinning from the front so you'll see the pin as you stitch the binding on the front of the quilt. Repeat for the three remaining ties.

Attaching the Binding

1. Attach the binding to the front of the topper using a ¼" seam allowance. If you're making a table topper, skip to step 3 now.

2. If you're making the machine topper, make sure you are stitching through the tie that is attached on the underside. You'll be able to feel with your hands whether it's there, and a peek underneath will confirm. Take care not to accidentally catch any other part of the ties as you attach the binding.

3. Stitch down the binding with the ties lying flat against the topper's backing.

Enjoy your table (or sewing machine) topper!

 

Giveaway!

You could win 4 fat quarters of the Kona Cotton Solids Felicity used to make her Tulip Tower Table/Sewing Machine Topper!
Just leave a comment on this post for a chance to win.

If you are no-reply/Wordpress blogger please leave your email id in the post.

We will leave the giveaway open till Tuesday, May 27th, 2014.
Winner will be announced Wednesday, May 28th.
Good luck everybody and enjoy making your very own Tulip Tower Table/Sewing Machine Topper!

Click here for more details on Kona Club.