Lantern Table Topper

Lantern Blocks

Lantern blocks are simple to make but look quite pretty. Time was running out to make more table toppers to take along as gifts so I decided to make something that I was familiar with, the lantern blocks.
I first saw this pattern a year or so ago  in the Quilter's World Magazine July 2015. The quilt pattern was called Beach Calypso on page 52.  It uses  2 1/2 inch fabric strips cut to 8 1/2 inch length, and 2 1/2 inch squares at the corners.

The blocks are 8" by 8" inches finished. Instead of making a quilt out of them, I made them into a simple table topper last summer for my friend B's birthday.

B's birthday table topper- July 2015

That table topper was made up of eight 8 inch blocks plus borders, but in Germany most of my relatives have smaller tables so I decided to make them from six blocks each.

These easy blocks just zipped along so I ended up making 3 of these, 2 fro give away and one to keep for myself. I finished the last one the day before we left on vacation.

The inner border was made from a 1 1/2 inch strip of fabric and the outer border was 2 1/2 inches wide. 

The completed table toppers are 22" By 30" inches in size.

The recipients were quite pleased to get them, I'm happy to say.

Happy quilting! :D

The Magic of Quilting: Lone Star-Done At Last!

The Magic of Quilting: Lone Star-Done At Last!

Echo Table Runners

Echo Table Runners

14" X 42" finished table runner

Echo blocks are made entirely from traced fabric pieces using 2 different templates that fit together to make the blocks.
It consists of 2 curved pieces of fabric sewn together, then 4 of those are sewn to each other to make the 18 1/2 inch blocks.

I had seen the pattern in a quilt magazine a few months before and decided to give it a whirl because it was quite different from anything I had tried before (except maybe the tessellating butterfly blocks that I am staying away from ! :)     (Quilter's World - Time Friendly Quilting May 2016 issue pg. 19)

We were going to a wedding in July and I thought it would make a unique gift.

We were also going on vacation in the fall to Italy and Germany and I wanted to make some table toppers to take along as thank you gifts for our hostesses, my German relatives.

 I liked the idea of using Bali Batik fabrics so I went hunting for some at the quilt store in Camrose, Quilting From the Heart, where they have a huge selection.

First pin the pieces together at both ends, then in the middle.

Can't have too many pins! :)

I cut the 2 template pieces out of template plastic, then began tracing on my fabrics and cutting them all out. then I began to mix and match the various pieces. When sewing the curved pieces together I found that it helped to pin them well, starting at both ends and then the middle. My best tool at that point was my tweezers which helped me make sure the fabrics were lined up properly to sew them perfectly. 

The one on the left has batting in the centre so I quilted a circular pattern on the blocks and meander pattern around the edge.
The one on the left just has thin webbing inside. That one is ditch quilted. (Made for Rosel)

My first runner, which was the wedding gift, I left in a rectangular shape. The next two, I cut the corners curved.

I traced the back fabric and batting, cut them out, then sandwiched them together with the runner, wrong sides facing, then sewed a 1/4 inch seam, leaving an opening to turn it right side out. Press it, then sew a generous 1.4 inch seam around the outside ( after hand stitching the opening closed.) 

Then last I machine quilted them.

I liked these blocks and table toppers so much that I made the place mats, too! :)