Quick Strippy Table Topper - Tutorial

If you are looking for a quick quilted project, this table topper is perfect for your own last minute decor, or as a quick gift for the holidays.

This fun weekend project is a perfect stash or scrap buster. Pull together your favourite holiday prints, or make it in any colour combination that suits the occasion. It comes together quickly and can be made in any size you like. And you're not restricted to a square topper, either, as you can easily lay the blocks out as a table runner as well.

Video tutorial

I've made a video tutorial for this table topper as well, if you prefer to watch me make it. Or, if you like instructions that only move on when you're ready for the next step, keep reading for the step-by-step photo tutorial or get the printable version from the pattern shop.

How to make this strippy table topper

These instructions make a roughly 15" x 15" square. Feel free to use longer fabric strips to make the squares larger for a bigger topper. I've included how to do the calculations for larger or smaller projects at the end of the tutorial.

The table topper in the pictures uses 10" long strips because that was how wide my fabrics happened to be. It ended up at 18" x 18" because of that. I've based the calculations below on standard quilt store cuts so you can hopefully just pull fabrics from your stash and they will be the right size.

Materials

• Top: At least 4-6 assorted 1/4" yards OR assorted scrap fabric strips 9" long and varying between 1" - 2.5" wide
• Backing: 1 Fat Quarter OR enough scraps to make a pieced backing about 17" x 17"
• Binding: 1 Fat Quarter OR three 2.5" x WOF strips for binding
• Batting: 20" x 20" OR consider using some scraps to make Frankenbatting

Step by step instructions

If you're using yardage, start by cutting your fabric into 9" long strips of varying widths from about 1" to 2.5" wide. You will need enough strips that when they're sewn together you get a piece that's 9" wide and just over 36" long. You may want to cut a bunch and sew them together, then cut more as needed.

Lay the strips out in a random fashion and sew them together along their long edges. If you prefer to work with smaller pieces, you can also sew them into 4 sets that are just over 9" long (and 9" wide). I sewed mine into one long piece before cutting, but this is personal preference.

Press all the seams open.

Cut the strip into four 9" x 9" squares, or if you sewed them together into smaller units, trim each to 9" x 9" square.

Now we are making Half-Square Triangles (HSTs) from the striped squares.

To start, lay two of the squares right sides together, with the strips running in the same direction.

Fold the top square back on the diagonal (pull one corner back onto the opposite corner). This will show you what it will look like once it's been sewn on the diagonal. Check if you like the way the stripes line up.

If you don't like them, flip the top square so that the top edge is now at the bottom (strips still running in the same direction as the bottom square) or switch with a different square, then check again. 

If you're happy with the stripes, use a chalk pencil or fabric marker to draw a diagonal line on the back of the top square, following the fold you just made. Pin the two squares together. Repeat with the second set of squares.

Sew a seam on either side of the diagonal line, 1/4" away from the line, just like you would for regular 2-at-a-time HSTs. 

Cut the HSTs apart on the drawn line, open them up and press the seams open or to one side. Trim the blocks to 8.5" square.

Lay them out in a 2 x 2 layout and sew the blocks together to finish your quilt top. I decided to have the "point" of two of the blocks towards the outside of the table topper, and the other two blocks towards the center, but you can lay these blocks out however you like.

Piece your backing fabric together if you are going that route, making sure it's a couple of inches larger than the quilt top all the way around.

Make a quilt sandwich by putting the backing fabric right side down on your work surface. Place the batting on top, then place the quilt top on the batting, right side up. Baste using your preferred method, and quilt.

I quilted in the ditch along all the strip seams and down the diagonal seam, but you could do an all-over design like a meander or stipple, use a fun quilting ruler, or do simple straight or wavy lines or a cross hatch.

Trim, bind, and admire.

Making this topper in different sizes

If you would like to make this topper larger or smaller, or use the blocks for a table runner, pillow, pot holder etc, just vary the length of your initial strips. Longer strips will make larger blocks, shorter strips will make smaller blocks. 

To calculate the strip length you need, start by figuring out how large your finished blocks should be. Then add 1" to that measurement, and cut your strips to that length. So if you wan to have 5" finished blocks, you'll need to cut your strips 6" long. And your final pieced "strip of strips" will need to be at least 4 times as long as your initial strip length. So for the 6" strips in the example above, you'll need to have enough strips sewn together to make a 24" length.

Don't forget that you will need more (or less) batting, backing and binding if you change the size.

The table topper in the photos is 18" x 18" and I pieced the backing using leftovers from the strip fabric.

Printable Tutorial

This tutorial is also available as a printable version from the pattern shop. Printable tutorials contain all the same information as the blog posts, but are condensed and formatted with diagrams to make it easier to read and take along to the sewing room or retreat.