Turkey Towel Topper

A Turkey Towel Topper is a fun project made in the hoop of your embroidery machine. Designs by Juju has several Towel Topper designs, but this Turkey Towel Topper is great for fall and Thanksgiving. Whip one up for yourself, and gift one to a friend or dinner party hostess. They come together quickly and easily using fabrics from your stash, some batting remnants and Sulky Poly Deco Thread.

TOWEL TOPPER REQUIREMENTS

Whimsical Turkey Towel Topper Machine Embroidery Design (Designs by Juju)
Sulky Poly Deco™ Thread (colors according to fabrics)
Fabri-Solvy™ Stabilizer
Sulky Perfect Appliqué Fusible Web
Sulky Clear Embroidery Tape
Bobbin Thread
Assorted fabrics for background, backing, turkey feathers & turkey body (amount according to chosen design)
Organ 75/11 Embroidery Needles
Batting remnants (two rectangles measuring 6″ x 7½”)
Dish towel blank
Magnetic Hoop (optional)

DESIGN DETAILS

Have fun with fabrics. This turkey towel topper features a turkey with seven appliqué feathers. Choose a different fabric for each feather or use three and alternate them across the back of the turkey body. Choose Poly Deco Thread colors that coordinate with the fabrics.

Don’t skip adding Sulky Perfect Applique Fusible Web to the wrong side of each appliqué fabric. The fusible web helps prevent show-through, acting like an interfacing, and the edges are less likely to fray after trimming in the hoop. Fuse the appliqués to the background fabric after all the tacking stitches are complete, but before the satin edgestitching steps.

When fusing, so NOT remove the piece from the hoop. Rather, take the hooped project to a pressing surface and gently fuse using no steam. If the iron won’t fit in the hoop, consider using a travel-size iron or mini iron.

A 5×7 or larger hoop is required for this project. Approximate finished size: 5″ x 6.75.” A magnetic hoop is suitable, but not required.

The design calls for one piece of batting, but using two (one on the front and one on the back) gives more body to the finished turkey towel topper. Fusible fleece is also suitable as a swap for the batting; be sure to fuse the fleece to the wrong side of the backing and background pieces before using. Note that it’s a bit more difficult to trim the fused pieces inside the upper-edge opening without nicking the stabilizer beneath. But, it’s doable with some patience and sharp scissors.

It’s integral to use water-soluble fabric-like stabilizer for the project so that no stabilizer remains along the satin stitched edges once the Turkey Towel Topper is complete. Use two layers of Fabri-Solvy to avoid perforating the stabilizer too much with the heavy outer stitching. Then, when the design is complete, trim as much stabilizer from the edges as possible. Lastly, apply a water-soaked cotton swab along the thread edges to remove any excess Fabri-Solvy.

USING THE TOWEL TOPPER

For this design, the towel is stitched to the topper in the last steps. Carefully center the towel upper edge along the placement lines on the topper. Use Sulky Clear Embroidery Tape to secure the towel, as it’s on the back side of the hoop and could fold under when the hoop is placed back onto the machine. The tape also works for the back of the towel topper piece, with batting attached. It’s strong, and reusable!

After removing the stabilizer per the design directions, place the towel (with topper attached) on a flat surface.

Turn the topper to the wrong side. Fold the long edges evenly to match the towel topper upper edge. Then, fold the opposite short end through the towel upper-edge opening after placing it around an oven door or towel hanger.