Hen parties are an occasion of joy, celebration, and cherished memories. As the anticipation of a special event builds, adding personal touches to the decor can truly elevate the atmosphere. One delightful way to infuse a touch of warmth and personalization into the festivities is by creating a stunning Hen Party Table Topper through quilting a timeless craft that adds both beauty and sentimentality to any occasion.
Choose fabrics that reflect the theme or color scheme of the event. Opt for soft, feminine hues or vibrant, celebratory tones. Cotton fabric works wonderfully for table toppers due to its durability and ease of handling.
Brainstorm and sketch your table topper design. Consider incorporating elements like hearts, flowers, champagne glasses, or personalized initials to reflect the occasion. Simple square or circular designs work well for table toppers.
Hen Party Table Topper Pattern
Materials:
Small piece of gold tonal fabric
⅛ yard of white tonal fabric
⅓ yard of red tonal fabric
⅓ yard of red bandanna print fabric
⅜ yard of blue bandanna print fabric
Backing fabric to size
Batting to size
8 black buttons (½”-diameter)
Fuse web with paper release
Lightweight fuse interfacing (optional)*
Template material
Thread
Basic sewing tools and supplies *Interfacing can be applied to make the white tonal fabric more opaque, if needed.
Project Notes:
Please read all instructions thoroughly before starting this project. Stitch right sides together using a ¼” seam allowance unless otherwise specified. Material and cutting lists assume 40″ of usable fabric width for yardage. Refer to the project photo and Placement Diagram for the positioning of pieces and stitching lines.
Cutting: From red tonal fabric:
Cut 3 strips measuring 2¼” by fabric width for binding.
From red bandanna print fabric:
Cut 1 strip measuring 6½” by fabric width.
Subcut the strip into 2 squares measuring 6½” (B squares).
From blue bandanna print fabric:
Cut 1 strip measuring 10″ by fabric width.
Subcut the strip into 4 squares measuring 10″ (A squares).
Completing the Topper:
Prepare templates using the Body, Head, Wing, Leg, Tail, Comb, Beak, Flower Center, Flower Half-Center, and Petal patterns provided in the project insert.
Trace the shapes onto the paper side of fusible web using the prepared templates. Refer to the list below for the number of shapes to trace. Cut shapes apart and apply them to the wrong side of the fabric as listed below. Note: If the background fabric shows through the white tonal, fuse lightweight interfacing to the wrong side of the white tonal before applying the shapes.
White tonal fabric: 4 bodies, 4 heads, 24 petals
Red tonal fabric: 4 each wings, tails, and combs
Gold tonal fabric: 4 beaks, 8 legs (4 reversed), 1 flower center, 4 flower half-centers
Cut out the shapes along the traced lines and remove the paper backing.
Arrange the hen appliqué shapes diagonally on an A square, placing the body in the center. Position the tips of the feet 1″ from adjacent edges as depicted in Figure 1. Tuck the top of the legs under the body, allowing the head to overlap the body and the comb to tuck under the top of the head. The tail should overlap the body at the top, and the wing should be placed at an angle on the body. Position the beak at an angle to create the impression that the hen’s head is turned sideways, facing the viewer. Once satisfied with the arrangement, fuse the shapes in place.
Figure 1
Use a machine blanket stitch to outline all the shapes of the appliqué, using thread that matches the fabric.
Organize the appliquéd A squares into two rows, each containing two squares, ensuring the feet are positioned at the outside corners. Stitch the squares together to form rows, then combine the rows to complete the center; press gently.
Following Figure 2 as a guide, place the flower center over the seam intersection of the A squares. Arrange eight petals evenly around the center, tucking the ends of the petals under the edge of the center; secure in place with a fusible adhesive.
Figure 2
Figure 3
Apply a machine blanket stitch around the appliqués using matching thread for consistency.
Cut each appliquéd square along the drawn line to create four half-flower triangles. Note: Completing the appliqué before cutting helps prevent the bias edge of the triangles from stretching while handling during the appliqué process.
Referencing Figure 4, center and stitch a half-flower triangle to each side of the center square; press the seam toward the triangle. Repeat this process, attaching a triangle to each side of the center, to finalize the top.
Figure 4
Assemble and base the table topper, adhering to Quilting Basics. Quilt as preferred. For instance, the model topper is stitched around each appliqué shape and echoed on each seam line.
Prepare binding strips according to Quilting Basics. Before applying the binding, reinforce the angle on either side of the triangles by stitching just inside the seam allowance. Clip these angles nearly to the stitching, as illustrated in Figure 5. When stitching the binding, straighten the edge when reaching the clipped angle instead of pausing and pivoting. While securing the binding on the back of the topper, miter and fold the angle with a slight tuck.
