As promised in last week’s ode to Pat Sloan, we are back with a fabulous showcase of her latest book with Martingale/That Patchwork Place– Tantalizing Table Toppers!
You know and love Pat Sloan, just as we do… She has written over 30 books, has designed hundreds of quilts, has put together countless fabric collections (currently for Benartex), curates thread collections for Aurifil, oversees the largest quilting community on Facebook, hosts daily YouTube videos, and still manages to keep making, creating, and keeping her designs fresh and accessible.
Of course we jumped at the chance to check out Tantalizing Table Toppers. Pat’s passion for bringing the art of quilting to the world comes through in her writing and her patterns are notoriously easy to follow, even for beginners.
One of life’s greatest pleasures is meeting with good friends and family for a visit– and to share yummy cookies, delicious cakes, and wonderful things to drink. The visit might be in our homes or we might go out somewhere for a relaxing chat. Come along with me as we travel to different cozy places and enjoy various delicious treats.
Pat Sloan, from Tantalizing Table Toppers
Each of the twelve stunning patterns included in the book is dedicated to a location or an event… from Italian Cafés to French Bistros, Picnics to Game Nights, Pat has included a wonderful variety to celebrate each and every glorious gathering.
As an extra special treat, Pat shares one of her favorite recipes gifted to her by her Mother-in-law, Madge. We’d highly recommend that you all make this delicious apple cake to share with friends over your new favorite table topper!
If you didn’t see last week’s post, you’ll definitely want to snag Pat’s latest thread set, Perfect Little Box of Colors. It’s the perfect little set of quilty colors, ensuring that you’ll have all the threads needed to whip up a handful of these table topping beauties!
Aurifil’s Social Media Manager, Hilary Jordan, dove right into the table topper challenge and we have to admit, we’re always excited to see what she comes up with! She is amazing with color pairing and, having sewn and quilting for nearly 20 years, is a total quilty rockstar!! Thanks so much to Hilary!
Hey y’all! I had a blast whipping up this project from Pat’s Tantalizing Table Toppers book. With Summer rapidly approaching, I decided to pull fabrics from my stash in a bright watermelon inspired color scheme. Isn’t it a wonderful feeling when a project can be made only from stash? 🎉
But, can I confess something? I’m actually not making a table topper. 🤯 My two young kiddos are just too darn messy at this stage of life, hello juice stains on every tablecloth I own, so gorgeous table toppers will have to wait a few more years. What I am making is a pillow cover for some Euro size pillow forms I picked up a couple weekends ago.
I started the project with the Breakfast Club table topper from the book, the center block is the perfect size 24″ x 24″, and with only a slight change to the thickness of the borders I’ll be able to create a gorgeous pillow cover. For the quilting, I’ll be using Aurifil 2423 Baby Pink from Pat’s new Perfect Little Box of Colors collection. It will be the perfect touch of color to pull out the pink in the center print, yet subtle enough to not be overbearing in the other prints.
What I haven’t decided is… how I should quilt this piece? When I’m in a hurry I tend to fall back on my tried and true straight line quilting, but this needs something a bit more adventurous like some free motion quilting. What do y’all think, how should I quilt this? Let me know in the comments, and thanks for checking out my little project! ❤ Hilary
If you’ve been eyeing this book, we’d suggest grabbing a copy. And while you’re at it, snag Pat’s Perfect Little Box of Colors. The two products make perfect partners are sure to set you up for creative success.
Sending huge and exuberant thanks to Pat for always including us. She is incredible at creating and cultivating a tremendous sense of community in this industry of ours. It goes to show that if we all support each other, raise each other up, and sing each other’s praises, we can accomplish wonderful things.
BOOK TOUR SCHEDULE
The fun started on Monday, so click through to get a peek at additional projects, giveaways, and more!
MONDAY, MAY 23
Martingale
Bonnie Hunter/Quiltville
Andy Knowlton/A Bright Corner
TUESDAY, MAY 24
Becky Thompson/Power Tools With Thread
Beverly McCullough/Flamingo Toes
WEDNESDAY, MAY 25
Carolina Asmussen
Jane Davidson
THURSDAY, MAY 26
Aurifil (YOU ARE HERE!)
Pam Vieira-McGinnis/Pam Kitty Morning
FRIDAY, MAY 27
Kristin Esser
Melissa Mortenson/Polka Dot Chair
SATURDAY, MAY 28
Gina Tell/Thread Graffiti
Kimberly Jolly/Fat Quarter Shop
TUESDAY, MAY 31
Pat Sloan
GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win a copy of Tantalizing Table Toppers + 1 of Pat’s Perfect Little Box of Colors thread collections, click on the button below. Entries will be accepted from now through 11:59pm Central Time on Monday, May 30! Winner will be randomly selected and contacted on Tuesday, May 31. Good luck!
FIND PAT ONLINE
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I think some echo quilting would be beautiful for this pillow. This block turned out so fun!
I would choose a circle design to quilt the pillow top since 2 of your fabrics have circles in them
I think your pillow will look great. Using Pat’s pattern in another way inspires me to think more outside the box.
Beautiful pillow topper! I am no help on how to quilt, that’s where I always get stuck.
Wow that is going to make a beautiful pillow topper and I would quilt it with circles. I love using your thread for quilting – it is the best that I have found. I also use it for cross stitching!
I love purple but I really love the Baby Pink thread you used to quilt your pillow top.
Not sure how to quilt it but I love your colors.
I think the wave pattern going both ways for your pillow would look nice.
How about a Greek key quilting pattern, I think that would be really nice
Love your pillow covers!! I think (I don’t know the proper name for the design) – but you do half circle on each seam – that way you get a cathedral window look in the squares!!
I think it’s orange peel. I was going to suggest that, also.
Awesome pillow! I understand having a messy young family.
I agree with Vickie Bell on circle quilting, maybe one concentric circle.
I just love the pillow you did! I’m going to do that too. I think if you echo stitch this it would look great. Thank you! Also I love your thread….
Love the Breakfast Club and your amazing threads!
Great idea to use the pattern for a pillow sham
The quilted table toppers are fabulous. Thanks for so much inspiration.
I think circle quilting would be nice on your lovely top.
Need to make smaller projects. Perfect book for this!
I have seen star pattern projects in Pat’s new book and I’m always on the hunt for them. This is a win, win book for me.
Pat has a true quilters heart for quilting . She makes quilting fun!
I don’t do a lot of quilting so I would probably do an echo quilting-follow the block lines
What a beautiful pillow cover. I haven’t been quilting long enough to offer suggestions on how you should quilt it.
I love table runners! Pat outdid herself!
Love the “watermelon” theme – so summery! This looks like a great book for my collection.
Echo or point to point quilting would be good. Great idea turning the project into a cushion cover.
This will make a lovely pillow regardless of how you quilt it.
I would outline the middle with straight lines getting smaller and smaller,. This would really emphasize the star.
Love the colors so summer like love aurifil
Oh this is so cute! Stick to your watermelon theme and do little watermelon wedges!
I almost always quilt with my walking foot. However, you can just quilt wavy lines with your walking foot for a nice and easy finish. This is a very cute pillow cover.
Love your colors. Maybe diagonal lines on the star parts, and some stippling in the outer white parts.
I would do some fm coils in the white and a simple 3 feather in the star. That’s a start. Have fun.
Hi, I agree, Circles, in any form would be so neat! Thanks for sharing!
I love getting ideas to use patterns in a different way – like a pillow instead of a table topper. Thanks
Love this book tour! So many ideas for the projects, have d to choose a favorite
I would find out what is special to the recipient and incorporate that into the quilt design. Butterfly’s? Dragonfly’s? Rainbows? Daisies? Brooks or streams? Football? The options are endless and a plain backing fabric makes that standout all the more.
I hand tie everything I make, so I have no suggestion for you. But I do love your colors.
I love this!! I am a huge watermelon fan !!! I hope i win this as I will make this for my table
Greetings from Idaho!! Thanks for a review of the fun and bright table topper turned pillow! My daughter did the same thing with her topper only made my gift to her into a wall hanging because of 3 messy boys! LOL Have a wonderful day!
Love all the patterns. And the threads are awesome
What a great topper. Fabric is great.
excited to start one of the projects… as soon as I get the book. (hint)
My machine and I LOVE Aurifil thread. It sews so nicely!!
My thought is to echo the interior of the center star. run several straight lines from the star’s corners to the outer edge to give a bursting effect. Perhaps do something dampening in each of the four remaining sections to help emphasize the bursting? AriFil is the first stop on the tour that I am familiar with, as I am already a subscriber. 🙂 I think the book tour is great!!
Echo quilting would be awesome!
Love your pillow – I am a beginner so am not sure how to best quilt – my first guess would be circles.
I agree, echo quilting would look great on this pillow cover!
What a fabulous idea! I love your choice of colors and would probably want to attempt a few feathers or echoing as the quilting detail. Thanks for sharing! And your great thread…
The block is beautiful- I think I’d do some small stippling outside of the Star- annd maybe echo quilt inside of it
Love making it into a pillow!
The pillow project is gorgeous. Just have fun with the quilting.
Love how you thought “outside the box” to make a pillow cover! Since this is a smaller project, how about some hand quilting, maybe even Sashiko? Just saying……..
Echo the center star to show it off, line quilt the outer colors with the arrow points pointing in toward the center star, and some circle fillers in the outer background to blend in with the circles in the fabric.
I think you should do a little free motion quilting on your pillow covers.
I think curvy quilting would be a great contrast to the points and straight lines of the piecing. What type of curvy quilting though, that’s a tough one.
Quilting pattern is the least of my expertise – but I think parallel lines radiating from the center diagonally toward each corner would look nice.
Yes to the pillow idea! The title says Table Toppers, but no need to be limited, people can adapt the patterns. I love straight line quilting, it always looks good. For this pillow, I think I’d cross hatch the star center & surround it with continuous curve. That looks pretty in a star & enhances the design elements in your fabrics.
I agree that is should be quilted with circles! Love those fun summertime colors.
What a great idea to do a pillow.
I need a new runner!
I would free motion in the main square of the star.
I love the watermelon colors! I would do free motion! Thank you!
Lots of possibilities for quilting that Watermelon star. Something light and airy.
i would love to make some new runners and toppers.
Love the fabric that Hillary used. Great one for the Christmas season.
I really like the idea of using the pattern for a pillow cover. You made great choices in the fabric and threads. Aurifil, my favorite.
Love your pillow idea. I really enjoy making pillows and also table runners.
Love your pillow cover! I would suggest echo quilting to complete the project.
Great idea for a pillow! I like echo quilting or meandering.
Thanks for the idea of turning it into a pillow cover.
What about straight line with a difference? Use the Serpentine Stitch on your sewing machine and Stitch over the vertical and horizontal seams. You will get a lot of texture for not much quilting effort
(Serpentine Stitch is the 3-step zig zag utility stitch with an increased stitch length.)
I am not super.knowledgeable about selecting quilting patterns but the radiating stars would led me to try outlining the stars to make them pop out.
I can’t wait to make one of the table toppers. So hard to decide which one to make first. I think simple straight line quilting would look great. What fun colors!
I love your fabric and the idea of turning the table topper into a pillow cover. The pink thread is lovely. I am no good at deciding on how to quilt it. I have been using Pat’s wavy stitch for a lot of quilting.
Loved the color combination, it really did invoke memories of summers sitting around the picnic table eating watermelon! I’m new to quilting, so it’s still stitching in the ditch for me!
My go to is swirls and stippling. It adds interest but it’s speedy and covers a lot of area.
I think doing free motion quilting on the pillow covers would be wonderful.
Love the colors you chose! I think a variation of straight line quilting using an enlarged serpentine stitch.
Free motion quilting would be nice
I think some echo quilting would be nice?
So fun to see this table topper in this cheerful summer color combo. Watermellon, yum!
Love your colors. Will make very colorful pillows
Love your pillow cover. I would quilt in some loops.
Lovely project! Make it easy. Straight line quilting would exquisite on your pillow.
Be bold and do some fabulous FMQ!!! A pillow is the perfect place to play with dense quilting…go custom in a big way!!
I love how we quilters adapt designs from others to meet our own needs, using our stash of course!
I now have grandchildren, so I can leave my tabletoppers out until they come visit!!
Pillowcases are a great way to use all the beautiful designs!
I need some new table toppers!
Love your summertime fabric choices.
You could do a swirly edge to edge design with stars in it.
What a grand idea since you have young children to come up with a beautiful way to show off Pat Sloans patterns!
I think a simple soft curving pattern would look very nice, espically with the soft pink thread. Can’t wait to see it finished.
Good luck on deciding on the perfect quilting design to use.
I would quilt Stars and Watermelons on it with a few swirls or circles.
I tend to stick to straight line or echo quilting of stars, curious to see what you pick!
I personally would do straight line quilting, anxious to see how you end up quilting it. Love that you are making it a pillow topper!
Good old meandering would be cute too! Love your fabrics!
Love your idea to make a pillow cover when at this time in your life a table topper is just not the best thing. You could echo quilt the stars.
Love the way you got creative and adapted the pattern for a need of yours. I think you need free motion quilting on your pillow!!
I would do echo quilting so that I could get onto the next project in the book! Love your pillow!
Great idea to make the topper into a pillow! Love the fabrics. I usually use stitch-in-the-ditch on pillow covers. I really need to try some new quilting.
Lovely topper turned pillow! I love all the projects in this book. The table runner with the little bird appliqué is gorgeous!
I think a feathered swirl would be beautiful on this quilt
Inspiring to finish as a pillow, thank you. Truly let it tell you how it needs to be finished for the quilting. I appreciate and love Aurifil, martingale AND Pat Sloan. She always brings a get to it can do it attitude to the table and those perfect box of colors…. PERFECT! The Cream on top.
Orange peel quilting is the first to come to mind. What a darling idea to make it into a pillow!
I would try quilting a point to point design in the center and echo the other colors. Great idea for a pillow. Thanks for sharing
I love your pillow idea! would do separate free motion in each color- one for the center star, something else for the green, red and white areas.
Love the idea of making a pillow!
Nice pillow, beautiful stars.
I second the orange peel recommendation. Thanks for your take on Pat’s designs!
Love it! Quilting with orange peel design sounds perfect.
Maybe a star motif, echoing the points in the block?
1/4 inchollowing all seam lines
So pretty in the watermelon colors. I think it would look great with free motion quilting.
slrdowney at hotmail dot com
Your project is beautiful. I think wavy lines would suit your pillow top. Would love to win the book and your thread.
Alexandria
I would quilt with various circle designs to enhance the circle pattern on the fabric. My circles would vary in size in the different design elements.
Pat’s patterns give a newbie lots of options. I’m looking forward to making a table topper.
I would like to see this quilted in something from the enter out… straight lines on the diagonal maybe?
I’d probably echo the interior and exterior of the star and just put loopy meanders in the background, but what do I know?
Exciting new book and wonderful projects.
Love the idea of taking the pattern from a table topper and making a pillow from it! So pretty!
I think a circle design would complement the fabric.
I seem to quilt items that will be used on a table with a diagonal, straight line design. It is lovely.
I love the idea of circles but I am a big fan of straight line or softly curved quilting. The block is beautiful!!!
I love your Summer time pillow cover. I would either do echo quilting or Big Stitch. I like how you adapted the table topper pattern to your needs.
Too many good ones it’s hard to pick just one. The stars are my fav. I like free motion echo qulting.