# Pop Your Patchwork: Why the Poppin’ Pattern is your next project **By Nic Vaughan** · 2025-05-30 ### A hexie project that “pops” If you love projects that start small, grow quickly, and finish with a flourish, meet **Poppin’** \- my joyful mash-up of **quilt-as-you-go (QAYG)**, English paper piecing (**EPP**) and a dash of embroidery. Seven hexagons, stitched completely before you join them, bloom into a mini-quilt that works as a table topper, placemat, or mini quilt.  ### [**Poppin' Pattern is HERE.**](https://craftapalooza.com/products/poppin-pdf-pattern "Craftapalooza Designs - Poppin Pattern") [![Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0471/1032/4389/files/Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go-22.jpg?v=1748587348)](https://craftapalooza.com/products/poppin-pdf-pattern "Craftapalooza Designs Poppin' Pattern") ### Bonus! Give those hexies six sneaky ladder-stitched seams and - _ta-da! -_ the flat topper turns into the cutest fabric bowl. There is a **bonus** included with the pattern download witih instructions to turn the Poppin' into a bowl. ![Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0471/1032/4389/files/Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go_1b646a86-1059-4fe5-97a9-5bcc3059af6a.jpg?v=1748587063) ### The big idea I've designed Poppin’ as a “no-stress, yes-success” introduction to QAYG. Instead of wrangling a whole quilt, you quilt each hexagon individually: layer batting, bind the edge, add quilting/decorative stitches and finally join the finished hexies with an invisible ladder stitch (instructions included in the pattern). You get the instant gratification of a finished project! Poppin' can be sewn in a couple of days. ### [**Poppin' Pattern is HERE.**](https://craftapalooza.com/products/poppin-pdf-pattern "Craftapalooza Designs - Poppin Pattern") ### Three motifs, endless looks The pattern gives you three options so you can sew one for every season - or mood. **Grandma’s Blooms -** ½″ hexie EPP flower garden **Butterfly Kaleidoscope -** Reverse-appliqué butterflies + EPP petal rings **Bee-autiful Garden -** Needle-turn (or fusible) bees + hexie flowers Each design sits inside a framed inner hexagon, so your favourite fussy-cut prints or low-volume backgrounds really shine. Templates for the hexies, petals, butterflies and bees are all in the pattern. ![Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0471/1032/4389/files/Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go_3.jpg?v=1748586581) ### Scrap-box superstar Because every motif is small, **Poppin’ is perect for using scraps**: a 2″ square will cover a tiny hexagon; a 5″ charm square yields four butterfly wings or four petals. Raid the scrap basket for colour bursts, dig into charm-square stashes, or slice a fat eighth into rainbow flowers. Pair everything with seven 9″ feature hexies and a fat-quarter of low-loft batting and you’re ready to sew. ### Tools of the trade (and my favourites) - Milliner needle #11 for slip-stitching - 50-80wt thread for appliqué; 8-12 wt for big-stitch quilting. [80wt Decobob](https://shrsl.com/4r039 "Decobob 80wt Wonderfil") is my go to, find and try notions that give you the results you desire. - [Extra-fine appliqué pins](https://shrsl.com/4us47 "Taylor Seville 100 Count Extra Fine Applique Magic Pins") (short so they don’t snag) - [Bohin Long Applique needs #9](https://shrsl.com/4lwww "Bohin Long Applique Needles") - use the needles you love! - [4" Karen Kay Buckley Scissors](https://shrsl.com/4r03u "Karen Kay Buckley Scissors") - Single-sided [fusible cotton/poly batting](https://shrsl.com/4ucff "Quilters Dream 80/20 Fusible Batting") - fuses in place, but stays hand-sewing friendly (non-fusible batting can also be used) - Glue pen or thread basting - your choice for EPP - Applique glue - I use [Roxanne Glue baste-it](https://shrsl.com/4ce1l "Roxanne Glue Baste-it") - Printable card for templates, or template plastic if you’re fancy **Tip:** Test one QAYG hexagon with batting you already know or have to hand, then go wild! ### [**Poppin' Pattern is HERE.**](https://craftapalooza.com/products/poppin-pdf-pattern "Craftapalooza Designs - Poppin Pattern") ### Quilt-as-you-go in a nutshell 1. **Trace and cut** seven window (outer) and seven inner hexies. 2. **Fuse or pin** batting to the back of each inner hexie. 3. **Appliqué** your EPP flowers, butterflies or bees dead-centre (crease lines help). 4. **Wrap and bind** the window edges to the back with a neat double-fold; slip-stitch just like finishing a quilt binding. 5. **Hand-stitch quilt**, a jaunty ring around the motif, and one more ring just inside the binding. 6. **Join** the seven finished hexies: one in the middle, six around the outside - ladder stitch for an almost invisible join. Scroll the hashtag **#[PoppinTableTopper](https://www.instagram.com/explore/search/keyword/?q=%23poppintabletopper "Poppin Table Topper - Craftapalooza Designs #PoppinTableTopper")** to see butterfly kaleidoscopes in neon solids, bee-utiful gingham gardens and rainbow scrap bowls already living their best lives on sewing desks around the globe. ![Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0471/1032/4389/files/Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go.jpg?v=1748586581) ### Skill-builders packed into one pattern - **EPP basics** -  ½″ hexies and petal rings - **Reverse appliqué** - painless with the window template - **Needle-turn vs. fusible** - choose your appliqué adventure - **Hand quilting** - a small project to quickly quilt - **Ladder stitch joins** - invisible from the front Work through the above one by one and you’ll graduate with a toolbox full of slow-stitch skills - and a practical finish to show for it. ### Make it your own - Swap the hand-stitching for machine top-stitching if speed is your love language. - Rotate the palette: icy blues + white binding for winter, or maximalist florals for summer brunch. - Stitch all seven large hexies in low-volume prints and let neon EPP flowers pop. ### [**Poppin' Pattern is HERE.**](https://craftapalooza.com/products/poppin-pdf-pattern "Craftapalooza Designs - Poppin Pattern") ### Ready to pop? The **Poppin’ PDF** is an instant download - print-at-home templates, full-colour diagrams, stitch guides, plus the bonus Bowl Instructions sheet. Grab yours in the Craftapalooza shop, raid your scrap basket tonight, tomorrow you’ll be stitchin' a QAYG masterpiece! Your patchwork will literally pop! [Available wholesale through Creative Abundance.](https://creativeabundance.com.au/index.php?manufacturers_id=45&ceid=6b56ada06a180675a66ea425c29a604a "Creative Abundance - Craftapalooza Designs Wholesale") [And don’t forget to tag **@craftapalooza** and **#PoppinTableTopper** so we can cheer you on.](instagram.com/craftapalooza "Craftapalooza Designs - Instagram") Please note: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission if you make a purchase - at no extra cost to you! ![Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0471/1032/4389/files/Craftapalooza-Designs-Poppin-Pattern-quilt-as-you-go_4.jpg?v=1748586582) **Tags:** applique, hand pieced, hand piecing, hand sewing, handpiecing, quilt-as-you-go, Small Project --- > Source: [Craftapalooza Designs](https://craftapalooza.com/blogs/craftapalooza-designs/pop-your-patchwork-why-the-poppin-pattern-is-your-next-project)