Winter Snowflake Table Topper Tutorial

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Winter Snowflake quilt Tutorial

Winter Snowflake Table Topper Tutorial

This is a table topper is the perfect way to display a quilt project. You can call it a table topper, a center piece or candle mat. Winter Snowflake is fast and easy to make.

It combines 2 different modern cutting tools but could also be made without them. Originally it was just going to be the center block which would be 12 inches but I decided to add the Half Square Triangle blocks and make it a 18 inch block.

Winter Snowflake Table Topper Tutorial

18″ x 18″

I used the charm pack Jovial by basicgrey for Moda which has beautiful Christmas patterns and some neutral fabrics that I had. This collection is no longer available but most of the basicgrey collections are designed with the same color values.

Did you know you can go to United Notions and get Moda fabric images that you can use in Electric Quilt or Photoshop? You can spend hours just playing with your fabric on your computer.
Winter Snowflake EQ Drawing

I used my AccuQuilt GO! Baby to cut 3.5 inch HST’s with the 3 inch finished half square triangle die. I really love AccuQuilt’s quilt block dies as the corners are dog-eared which makes piecing very easy. Notice that your fabric is at an angle on the die – make sure you place your fabric like this to get the grain right.

Winter Snowflake GO Baby die cutter

I already had the neutral pieces cut and thought it was more fun to show you the prints. I laid the charm squares on the bottom part of the die (I used a silver sharpee to show the cutting lines on the die) and I even got a usable scrap piece from each square.

Winter Snowflake cutting HSTs

You could also cut 3 7/8 inch squares to make your Half Square Triangles – I usually cut a 4″ square and use a 3.5″ ruler to square them up and trim for perfect blocks.

Winter Snowflake Center Piece Tutorial

First we are going to piece the neutral colored triangles and center block together.

Winter Snowflake Center Piece Tutorial

The size of this block right now is 12.5 inches. I am going to add some applique and another round of HST’s.

Winter Snowflake Table Topper Tutorial

This diagram might help you see it a little better.

Winter Snowflake Table Topper Tutorial

Now I switched to my Sizzix Big Shot for the applique pieces. These have a lot of detail to them. I am using the Tattered Florals and Hanging Snowflake #2 dies.

Winter Snowflake Sizzix die cutter

I cut my fabric pieces about 5 inches square and fused Heat & Bond Lite to the back. Leave the paper backing on until you have put the fabric through your Sizzix Big Shot. I like to put my fabric face down on my die (paper side up) this seem to give a cleaner cut. Sometime you might have to clip a thread or two – regardless of which cutter you use.

Winter Snowflake Sizzix die cutter

Here is the design I came up with. I used the scraps from the snowflake to cut 4 little circles to put in the center of the flowers. If you don’t have the dies you could just use any applique flower design.

Applique ready to quilt

I used my 15-91 Singer sewing machine that was manufactured in 1951 on the entire piece. I did a free motion applique that I call appliquilt around the edges of the pieces. I started doing this about 20 years ago a little differently. At that time I would catch my applique with the same color of thread that I did my stippling with. Basically because I was too lazy to zig-zag around all the small pieces.
Winter Snowflake Closeup Freemotion stiching darning foot
You drop the feed dogs, put on a darning foot and do a free-motion wiggle around the piece.

Winter Snowflake Closeup Freemotion stiching

Instead of putting paper on the back I used scraps of Warm & Natural. It works well and there is nothing to rip off afterwards. I learned this trick from Patsy Thompson who does something very similar called the EKG stitch. Her stitching is really beautiful and her site is well worth a visit!

Winter Snowflake Closeup Freemotion stiching backside

Once I finished the applique I decided I wanted to make the block a little bigger. So I added another round of half square triangle blocks. That was 20 additional 3.5 inch half square triangles. Thank goodness the dog-eared corners make it easy to piece.

Winter Snowflake Table topper piecing

The block is now 18.5 inches – great for a center piece or pillow.

Winter Snowflake Tabletopper piecing

Winter Snowflake Tabletopper piecing done

You could also make several blocks and put a quilt together. I am terrible at naming blocks or quilts – my sewing machine doesn’t have a name. How about Winter Snowflake for this block?

Winter Snowflake Closeup Freemotion

I hope you enjoyed the Winter Snowflake Table Topper Tutorial. If you make a table topper like this I would love to see it!

Winter Snowflake quilt Tutorial

Want to see what I did with the leftover quilt fabric scraps? Checkout my Jovial mug rug. A mug rug makes a great gift too!

Winter Snowflake Tabletopper tutorial deck

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18 Comments

  1. I adore the stitching you did around the snowflake! Such a great inspiration!
    Esther

  2. Denise :) says:

    So this post was one of the "You might also like:" options on today's post and I love the look of this little snowflake table topper — it's just darling!! 🙂

  3. Yes, this was more enjoyable to really take the time to visit this tutorial here. Just a beautiful piece and thank youf for sharing.

  4. This is just beautiful! Thank you for linking up with Handmade on Humpday!

  5. That is awesome!! I keep seeing these great quilts using the new cutting systems, maybe it's time to invest in one. Or at least go to my LQS and try theirs out. 🙂

  6. Love, love, love this table topper. You've inspired me to make one too. Such a lovely job.

    And I love the picture you added of Bella asleep on the job. Too Cute!

  7. Very beautiful, thank you for record and share your process and your loved zigzag track very cool application.
    forgive my bad English

  8. The Mayo Family says:

    Beautiful topper Connie!
    Yes, again thanks for the added..post! 🙂
    Do you do all your sewing on the lovely, older black (I think) Singer?
    You are very good!
    Blessings~
    Lori

  9. Sunni @Love Affair with my Brother says:

    Wow! Your points are so perfect! Do you have any special tricks for that??

  10. Connie that is so lovely. I am still waiting for my GO – I can't say patiently!

  11. And another cute table topper – if you get worried abouthaving too many feel free to send some my way!

  12. Connie, Thanks for posting this here. Today I had more time to read the post and understand the die process. The shapes are really unique and I like the circles that you added and your wiggle stitching is terrific!