There’s something magical about taking a traditional quilt block and seeing it in a whole new way. That’s exactly what we’re doing today with the charming Cake Stand block—and with just a little twist (and some raw-edge appliqué), we’ll transform it into an adorable acorn motif that’s perfect for fall!
Whether you’re a seasoned quilter looking to try something playful or a beginner ready to experiment with raw-edge appliqué, this project is all about having fun, embracing imperfection, and letting your creativity shine. I’ll walk through everything step-by-step: from gathering your favorite fall fabric scraps to stitching down your appliqué with flair.
So, grab your scissors, fire up your iron, and let’s stitch a little autumn magic together—one acorn at a time. 🍂🧵
The Cake Stand Quilt Pattern is available for instant digital download.
This post contains affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a commission.
How to Transform the Cake Stand/ Acorn Quilt Pattern for Raw Edge Appliqué
Quilting Techniques Featured
First, let’s talk about quilting techniques. This pattern was originally designed as needle-turn appliqué (learn how in this tutorial). There’s something really lovely about slowing down and enjoying some hand stitching. But I know slow stitching isn’t for everyone (it certainly wasn’t for me when I first started quilting).
Transforming the Templates
So, if you prefer a speedier, less hand-sewing-focused route, then raw-edge appliqué will be your jam. All you need to remember is to use the inner line of the quilt pattern templates (i.e., trim down to the dashed line), and you’ll be golden.
Project Sizes
The Cake Stand/ Acorn quilt pattern includes a few sizes to choose from, including two table runners, small and large, and baby through king, to give you lots of quilty options.
Shown throughout this tutorial is a block I made for the lap-sized version. I also show a peek at a block from this baby Acorn quilt.
Scrappy & Pre-cut Friendly
This pattern is incredibly scrap and pre-cut-friendly! I wanted you to have the freedom to stitch based on your mood (eg, how fast or slow you wanted to go) and make the best use of what you already have on hand.
So, whether you’ve got a ton of charm packs lying around, or have scrap bins overflowering, or have some yardage that you’d love to focus on, the Cake Stand/Acorn quilt pattern is here to accommodate those whims 😉
I was feeling all the autumn vibes when I picked up these fat quarters. They hit the spot and were a joy to stitch with. Every time I spotted these colours, I got visions of the Laurentian forests in their autumn glory.
How to Raw Edge Appliqué Featuring the Acorn Quilt
Raw-edge appliqué is one of the quickest and easiest ways to add super fun details to your quilty projects. All it entails is layering your pieces of fabric over your background fabric.
The background can be wholecloth, a classic patchwork block, or a more complex pieced block. Really, the options are endless as to how you want to approach the look. How you’ll raw-edge appliqué your motifs in place will be the same.
In this tutorial, I’ve used a 16-patch block as the background, the instructions for which are included in the Cake Stand Pattern, and you can also see it in piecing action here.
Gathering your materials
As always, it’s best to start by gathering your tools. You don’t need too much, but some of these will make your life easier:
- Cake Stand Quilt Pattern – I’m showing the Acorn version without the ‘Cake Stand Dome Topper’. The templates are included in the pattern.
- Fusible webbing
- Fabric for acorn base and top (aka Cake Stand Base and Cake Stand Dome)
- Wool pressing mat – Use code SHANNONFRASER15 to save 15% on your small, medium, or large wool pressing mat at The Felt Store Canada or The Felt Store USA. Offer cannot be combined with other discounts.
- Iron
- Muslin or a piece of scrap cotton
- Erasable marking tool
- Ruler
- Quilt block or fabric square
- Rotary cutter
- Fabric scissors
- Pinking shears (optional)
- Paper scissors (for cutting out templates)
- Sewing machine
- Sewing machine needle
- 50wt thread for stitching
- Small scissors
- Pins (if not using fusible webbing)
- Pincushion
- Seam ripper (cause mistakes happen – ha!)
Step 1
Once you have your notions and tools corralled, you’ll want to start by attaching the fusible webbing to the wrong side of your fabric pieces.
This stabilizes your fabric and makes it easier to trace and cut your motifs out.
Step 2
With your fabric fused (or not!), use the templates and a marking tool to trace around the base and top of the Cake Stand/ Acorn (whichever version you’re making).
Using fabric scissors, cut out the shapes following your drawn line.
Tip – I always find it helpful to have two marking tools on hand: one for dark fabric and another for light fabric.
Tip – you can use pinking shears to add more texture, detail, and prevent the fabric from fraying.
I tried that out to great effect on the baby quilt version I made.
Step 3
With your base and top fused and cut out, you want to start by folding your background fabric square in half first one way and then the opposite way. This will help you find the center of your block.
Since I was using the patchwork block, I already had my center lines.
You’ll also want to fold your base and top in half, too, and finger-press.
Step 4
If you’re making the Cake Stand, then I suggest starting with the Base, but since I was making Acorns, I started with the Dome.
Either way, you’ll want to align the center fold lines of the shape you’re about to fuse in place. Before locking it in, place the Topper (or Dome if you’re making the Cake Stand) in place, aligning the center fold lines.
IMPORTANT – Before fusing, I measured to ensure that I had equidistance between the top and bottom so that my shape was nice and centered. The distance will differ if you’re using the Dome Topper or not (I forgoed the topper as I was making acorns). But my measurement was about 2.5″
Once you’re happy with the placement, use a hot iron to lock it into place.
Step 5
Depending on the type of sewing machine you have, you might have lots of fun stitches just waiting to be played with, and raw-edge appliqué is the perfect opportunity to do just that!
Another fun element to play with is your thread colour. You can go matchy-matchy for a seamless look, or go contrasting for added detail.
Here, I opted for a coordinated orange colour 50wt Aurifil Thread that matches the top but contrasts with the bottom fabric. It’s the colour I’m using throughout the quilt, so it gives an overall cohesive effect.
Once you’ve decided on your stitch style and thread colour, you can proceed with tacking your Cake Stand or Acorns in place. I like to stitch about 1/8″ away from the raw edge.
Note – I sew on a Juki TL-2010Q, which is a straight stitch only machine. You can read my full review here.
And that’s it! That’s all there is to raw-edge appliqué!
Super easy, right?!
Common Mistakes to Avoid in Raw Edge Appliqué
There are a few things that can trip up your raw-edge appliqué success, including:
- Not pressing your fabric properly. For the cleanest effect, you want your fabric to be as crease-free as possible.
- Rushing your fusible webbing application. You want to take your time here and follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Different types call for different setting times, so best to double-check. Having bubbled up fusible webbing is not a fun situation, trust me on that – ha!
- Overthinking the process – raw-edge appliqué is meant to be simple; the most complex step is attaching the fusible webbing and then getting the paper backing off.
- Forgoing fusible webbing and not taking the time to pin your pieces in place. I made the mistake of purchasing an entire roll (44 yards to be exact) of one-sided fusible webbing. Since I’d already fused my fabric and didn’t have time to order more, I went ahead without fusing my pieces in place. This requires slower stitching to ensure your fabric is not puckering/bubbling/moving as you move the block at the sewing machine.
I hope this inspires you to give raw-edge appliqué a go and that it’s helped demystify the technique. It’s really super easy, and you’ll be surprised by how fun it is!
You can find the Cake Stand Quilt Pattern in the shop, and don’t forget to tag me @shannonfraserdesigns with #CakeStandQuilt on Instagram so that I don’t miss out on the version you make!
Happy quilting 😊
xo,
Shannon
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