Table Topper Layout

(Click here for the One Monthly Goal June link-up)

I really enjoyed the opportunity to participate with Fat Quarter Shop in the Jolly Bar 3 Tablerunner QAL. The blocks were fun and easy to put together and I loved the bright color and graphics in the fabric I was using.

The pattern for each individual block can be found on the Jolly Jabber QAL page as well as in the  Jolly Bar book volume 3  pattern book.

The table runner as designed would finish 20.5'' x 80.5''.  Since that size isn't useful for anything in my home, I chose my layout and modified the block sizes to get something that would be of use to me.

Resizing and creating my own layout is something I do often so I though I would share a few tips on how to generally approach resizing a block and then what I did for my quilt. 

Generally to resize -

• Work with the finished size measurements and add seam allowances later.  For example:
• Block 3 - Springtime Bliss block - (photo above bottom row center) has a finished block size of 9'' x 9''.  It is constructed from flying geese blocks with a finish size of 4.5'' x 9'' . 
• To resize this block to be half the size - 4.5'' x 4.5'' - you will need to construct from flying geese blocks with a finish size of 2.25" x 4.5''.  (Since this pattern uses the stitch and flip method for constructing geese, it means you would need (1) 2.75'' x 5'' (unfinished) rectangle and (2) 2.75"x 2.75" unfinished squares.)
• To resize smaller - 2.25'' x 2.25'' - I typically redraw the block in EQ7 software and use a paper pieced version.

For this specific pattern, the majority of the blocks were 9" except for the Treasure Trove block - (photo above, top row right) with a finished block size of 18" x 18" and the Westward block - (photo above, bottom row right) with a finished block size of 8'' x 8''.

I decided to resize the 9" square blocks to 6" and the 18" square blocks to 12".  For the original table runner layout, I would have resized the 8" square Westward block to be 5".

Since I wanted my runner to be square, I resized the Westward block to be 6".   The center of the quilt top was then created with sashing at 2" wide (finished size) or 3" wide.  My quilt also has an outer border.

I had really enjoyed working with this fun colorful fabric and love my new happy table topper.

Kimberly from Fat Quarter Shop shared a bunch of the table runners on the livestream on May 27.  You can view it here - fast forward to about the 1 hour 17 minute mark to catch my quilts YouTube reveal.  I mailed my quilt off to Fat Quarter Shop and forgot to take a photo of the back where I used up some scraps and put the Friendship Bracelet block.  You can catch the back in the video!

Have a wonderful day! Patty