Paper Pieced Ornament Table Topper

by Vicki Holloway

A paper pieced ornament table topper is a quick and easy project to add to your existing Christmas decor. The vinyl appliques showcase an extra sparkle of glittery sequins, neatly contained and movable for an interactive experience.  

SUPPLIES

Finished Paper Pieced Ornament Table Topper measures 24″ square.

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• Sulky Paper Solvy  
• Cotton + Steel thread by Sulky (neutral, white or otherwise matching the background fabric)
• Sulky clear Invisible thread (optional; for stitching the vinyl applique blocks)
• 12 gauge Vinyl (30″ long and 8″ wide, cut into four 6 1/2″ squares)  
• Multi-colored pack of red, green & white hexagon mini sequins 
• Red fat quarter (2 ornaments) 
• Teal fat quarter (2 ornaments)  
• Grey fabric scraps (ornament tops) 
• 1/2 yard of white cotton fabric for background, sashing & binding  
• Quilt batting (approx 26″ square or more if using a longarm for quilting)
• Fabric scraps (a mini charm pack works great):  (9) 2 1/2″ squares of red print fabrics & (4) 2 1/2″ squares of green print fabrics
• Paper Pieced Ornament pattern

TIP: Grab a fat quarter bundle for this project and use the leftover prints to create coordinating napkins and placemats!

PREP & CUTTING

Print four foundation paper pieced ornament patterns onto sheets of Sulky Paper Solvy. Cut out the main pattern pieces; set aside. 

Cut Sashing :  

12 strips – 2 1/2″ x 6 1/2″  

4 strips- 2 1/2″ x 18 3/4″  

CONSTRUCT BLOCKS

Piece the ornaments by following the paper pieced ornament patterns to create two red and two teal ornaments. If you’re unfamiliar with foundation paper piecing, refer to this primer for the basics.  

Assemble rows with sashing and cornerstones.

Strip 1 Assembly

Make 3 strips: red print square,  6 1/2 inch sashing, green print, 6 1/2 inch sashing, red print square  

Strip 2  Assembly 

Make  2 strips:  6 1/2″ sashing, ornament, 6 1/2″ sashing , ornament, 6 1/2″ sashing ( please place color of ornaments as in the photo above)  

Row Assembly

Assemble the rows into the center square in this order: Strip 1, Strip 2, Strip 1, Strip 2, Strip 1  

Next sew the 2 1/2″ x 18 3/4″ strips to the left edge of the quilt; repeat on the right edge.  

Lastly sew two strips (red print square, white 18 3/4″ sashing, red print square) and sew a strip to the upper and lower edges of the quilt.  

QUILTING

Quilt and bind the top prior to adding the vinyl and sequins appliques.

Make a quilt sandwich by placing the backing fabric wrong side up on a flat work surface. Place the batting over the backing, using KK 2000 to secure. Then place the paper pieced ornament table topper top on the batting with the right side up. Use more KK 2000 to secure the top, smoothing any wrinkles without stretching the fabric.

Draw a quilting template onto Sulky Paper Solvy and place on the sashing. Then free-motion quilt the sashings.

Note from the designer: I quilted small loops around the ornaments with a larger loop over the grey top to look like a string of ornaments on a tree. I left the ornaments without any quilting in them, as they’ll be embellished later. In the center cornerstone and next round of cornerstones, I quilted an asterisk to look like a snowflake. In the outer row of sashing I quilted a holly leaf and loops motif with a spiral in the cornerstones.  

After quilting, bind the table topper in the method of your choice.   

VINYL ORNAMENT APPLIQUES

Set aside about a tablespoon of multicolored sequins (more or less to taste) and place them in a 3″x5″ rectangle of  paper folded in half. The paper allows you to pour the sequins onto the ornaments without going overboard. 

Cut four 6 1/2″ vinyl squares. (If desired, cut the vinyl 7″ square and trim after attaching the appliques if accuracy is a worry.)

Carefully applique the vinyl square over the ornament along the seams or in the ditch on two sides, using a blanket stitch set to a wide stitch setting. Use Sulky clear Invisible thread or white Cotton + Steel thread by Sulky, depending on preference.

Keep the needle down in the fabric and pour one tablespoon of sequins in the corner of the vinyl that was appliqued. Next, applique the remaining sides.  

Vinyl Applique Tips  

• Use an open-toe presser foot to easily see the needle position during sewing.
• Place cellophane tape on the bottom of the presser foot to keep it from sticking to the vinyl.
• Do not use pins, which leave permanent holes in the vinyl.
• Don’t pull the vinyl too tight to cause the quilt underneath to pucker, but also keep the vinyl very flat with your fingers.
• Slow the machine speed considerably.

FINISHING

The vinyl will get static electricity in it so the sequins will stick and float, giving a snow globe effect! You could use other types of confetti under the vinyl, but if it’s heavy the confetti will sink to the bottom of the ornament. The sequins need to be small enough to accommodate sewing around it during the applique process. Don’t place dimensional objects under the vinyl.

Display the table topper on your holiday table and enjoy the movement and shine of the sequins!