Contrasting cream and sage pennants
give the mantel cloth a holiday harlequin
look.

• Graph paper
• 3/4 yard of 54 inch-wide ivory brocade fabric
• 2-1/8 yards of green embossed velvet
• 1/2 yard of rose-stripe fabric
• 2-1/8 yards of muslin for lining
• 1/8 yard of gold metallic fabric for buttons
• Matching sewing threads; gold metallic thread
• 1 yard of cotton batting
• 2-1/4 yards of 1/4-inch-diameter gold metallic sew-in twisted cording
• 6 2-inch-diameter self-cover button forms

1. Download the free patterns for this project. (Downloading requires Adobe Acrobat software.)

Mantel Cover pattern

Mantel Cover diagram

Download Adobe Acrobat

 

Triangle pattern

2. Enlarge the top and bottom triangle patterns on graph paper. Add 1/2-inch seam allowances beyond the drawn lines and cut out the completed pattern pieces. Sew all pieces with right sides together, using 1/2-inch seam allowances, unless otherwise noted.

Embroider the fabric

3. From the ivory brocade fabric, cut three 18-inch x 27-inch rectangles. Take the fabric rectangles to a custom embroidery shop to have them embroider "Love," "Peace," and "Joy" on the rectangles with gold metallic thread. Each word should be centered on a rectangle with the bottom of the lettering 10 inches from the top edge of the fabric.

Cut the fabrics

From the embroidered ivory brocade fabric rectangles, cut:

• 3 top triangles, positioning the words as indicated in the triangle before cutting

From the green embossed velvet, cut:

• 1 7-inch x 74-inch strip and 6 bottom triangles

From the rose-stripe fabric, cut:

• 2 top triangles

From the muslin, cut:

• 1 7-inch x 74-inch strip, 6 bottom triangles, and 5 top triangles

From the cotton batting, cut:

• 5 top triangles

Sew the mantel scarf

4. To assemble the top triangles, place the embroidered brocade triangles and rose-stripe triangles right side down on matching muslin triangles. Layer a batting triangle on the wrong side of the embroidered brocade triangles and rose-stripe triangles. Sew together all layers on the long edges of the triangles, leaving the top edge open. Trim the seam allowances, turn right side out, and press. Machine-baste the raw edges together.

5. To assemble the bottom triangles, place the green embossed velvet triangles right side down on a matching muslin triangle. Sew the triangles together on the long edges, leaving the top edge open. Trim the seam allowances, turn right side out, and press. Machine-baste the raw edges together.

6. Smooth the 7-inch x 74-inch muslin strip on a flat surface; the side of the strip facing up will be the right side of the strip. Position the bottom triangles, right side up, on the muslin strip with the raw edges of the triangles aligned with the top long edge of the strip. Space the bottom triangles about 1/2-inch apart and at least 1/2-inch from the short edges of the strip; baste the triangles to the strip.

7. Referring to the diagram position the rose-stripe top triangles and embroidered brocade top triangles on the strip with the raw edges even, centering the top triangles between the bottom triangles. The triangles should be about 2-1/4-inches apart. Baste the top triangles in place. Press the muslin strip away from the triangles.

8. Using a zipper foot, sew the gold metallic cording to one long edge of the 7-inch x 74-inch green embossed velvet strip. Press under the cording seam allowance for the bottom edge of the velvet strip. With right sides together, pin the velvet strip to the muslin strip. Sew the strips together along the short and top edges. Trim the seam allowances, clip the corners, and turn the strip right side out. Carefully press the velvet strip to cover the seam allowances and basting stitches of the triangles. Sew the cording edge of the strip in place, using a zipper foot to sew as close to the cording as possible.

Finish the mantel scarf

9. Use gold metallic thread to machine-quilt a square grid on the long velvet strip at the top of the mantel scarf, sewing diagonal lines 3 inches apart.

10. Cover six button forms with gold metallic fabric, following the button manufacturer's instructions. Sew a button to each bottom triangle, centered on the triangle about 5 inches above the point.