How to make crazy quilted setting triangles for a tablerunner

Yesterday on QUILTsocial we followed 6 basic steps to create some fun bobbin work embroidery with THE Dream Machine 2 from Brother.

Today, we use these embroideries to make setting triangles for our table runner and tomorrow we start quilting!

THE Dream Machine 2

First, let’s trim the three large embroidered blocks to 10″ square.

Trim embroidered blocks

The four small embroideries can be trimmed to 4″ x 7″, or whatever size works with the design that you’ve chosen.

The finished embroideries

I recently made a pineapple quilt and had all of these leftover strips of batiks left over. The colors work well with the threads I chose to embroider the blocks. These strips are all either 2″ or 3″ wide, but you could use any size or shape of fabric. Scraps work well for this technique too!

Strips of batiks

Draw some guidelines on the background fabric of all four small embroideries. Don’t worry about the angle being different for each of them, the more variety the better. Just make sure that there’s more than ¼” of space between the embroidery and the lines.

Guidelines drawn on the fabric

Next, lay one fabric strip along the guideline, right side down and sew with a ¼” seam.

Using guideline to place fabric

Flip the strip over so that the right side is showing and press. Cut away any excess fabric on the back a ¼” away from the seam. Sew another strip to the next line, flip and press and continue until all four sides are sewn.

First four fabric strips

Trim the excess fabric from all four edges of the block, making sure to leave a seam allowance around the bobbin work embroidery that was stitched with THE Dream Machine 2.

Trim the edges

Now use the straight edges on the sides of the embroidery to line up a second round of strips. Sew each in place, flip over and press. Trim the edges straight again.

A second row of strips

Keep sewing more strips randomly around the embroidery until it’s a triangular shape.

Adding more strips

Make a setting triangle template by cutting a 10½” square of paper in half diagonally.

Setting triangle template

Lay the template on top of the pieced setting triangle. Use a ruler and rotary cutter to trim away the excess fabric so that the pieced setting triangle is the same size as the paper template.

Trimming the triangle

Here’s my first finished setting triangle made using the bobbin work embroidery which was stitched with THE Dream Machine 2.

The finished setting triangle

Repeat this process to make a total of four setting triangles.

Now we can start assembling everything into the tablerunner top! Sew one setting triangle to each of the large embroidered blocks, aligning the straight sides and having the point of the triangle extend past the edge of the embroidered square (as shown in the circle).

Placement of setting triangles

Sew a second setting triangle to the center embroidered block in the same manner as above, making sure that the point of the triangle extends past the edge of the square.

Adding a second setting triangle

Use THE Dream Machine 2 to sew the three sections together to make the tablerunner, making sure to line up the seams between the blocks and the setting triangles.

Sew sections together

Now we can layer the tablerunner top with batting and backing! I like to use 505 Temporary Fabric Adhesive Spray to stick all of the layers together when quilting small pieces like this.

Layer with batting and backing

Now that all of the blocks and setting triangles have been pieced together and our quilt sandwich has been made, we’re all ready to get quilting! See you tomorrow when we’ll use THE Dream Machine 2 to quilt and embroider at the same time!

This is part 4 of 5 in this series.
Go back to part 3: 6 basic steps to create awesome bobbin work using THE Dream Machine 2!

Go to part 5: 2 in 1 – embroidering and quilting at once with THE Dream Machine 2

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