Our table top was cut from a large piece of plywood (you can cut your own with a router), and the wrought-iron base and legs were especially made by a blacksmith.

Using a photocopier, enlarge the image by 666% (enlarge by 200%, then 200%, and then by 167%). Reverse the pattern for the other half of the table.

You'll need:
Circle of 20mm thick plywood, 1000mm in diameter (if an outside table, high-grade waterproof plywood)
Exterior water-based sealer
Large ceramic tiles in red, dark green, orange, lemon-green, light green, cream, mustard.
Ceramic tiles in a mix of patterns for border

Tools
Tracing Paper (optional)
Carbon paper (optional
Multi-purpose tile adhesive
Black grout
Brush, pencil, ruler
Protractor, compass, stylus (optional)
Goggles and mask
Tile nippers
Mixing containers
Palette knife
Rubber gloves, squeegee,
Rags and cloths, sponges

Here's how:

Preparation

1. You may already have a readymade table with a glass or wooden top that you can use. Remove the original top and insert the piece of plywood in its place. Otherwise, take the wood to a blacksmith and ask for a 25mm wide metal band to be made to support the table top. You'll also need 12 small nail holes to be drilled in the centre of the band, spacing them 260mm apart (the plywood is held in place with nails). If required, decide on the design of legs for your table.

2. If the table is intended for outdoor use, waterproof the wood using a water-based sealer. Allow it to dry.

Drawing the design

3. Following figure I, draw the basic design for the table. Alternatively, print out the template and use a photocopier to enlarge the pattern. Using carbon paper and the stylus, transfer the design to your table.

4. If you are using the diagram to draw the design, first locate the exact centre of the plywood circle and mark it with a pencil. Draw a line through this point from one side to the other.

Drawing circles If you don't have a compass, you can improvise by using a piece of string, a pencil and a nail.

1. Insert a nail into the centre of the board and tie a piece of string to it.

2. Measure out the string to the length required and tie a loop in the other end. Slip the loop over the pencil.

3. Holding the string taut, draw a circle around the board. Adjust the length of string to draw circles of different sizes.

5. Divide the table into eight even 'pie' sections. To do this, place the protractor on the pencil line and mark off three angles of 45 degrees. Place the protractor on the opposite side and do the same. Rule up the lines following the marked points.

6. Using a compass, draw three circles on the table, using the measurements given on figure I. If you don't have a compass, use the string and pencil method (See Drawing Circles). Draw a star in the centre of the table. Make sure the lines are visible; if you have used pencil, you may want to go over them in felt-tip pin.

7. When working on a large table such as this, it is difficult to prepare all the tiles in advance. Wearing goggles, cut enough tiles to complete one area of the table; you can cut more tiles as you need them.

8. Starting in the centre of the table, fill the inner circle with red tesserae cut into eight wedges. Spread the adhesive onto the table with a palette knife and fix the tesserae in place. Surround the wedges with a row of thin, rectangular red tesserae.

9. Using thin, rectangular tesserae, follow the pencilled design to establish outlines for all the geometric elements. Use dark green for the outer circle, orange for the middle circle (note that the orange circle is interrupted by the green star and the red radiating lines) and lemon-green for the inner circle. Use red for the eight radiating lines and light green to outline the star. Without using adhesive, position all the cut tesserae on the table to ensure they will fit your pattern. When you are happy with their placement, apply adhesive to their backs and fix them to the table, working on a section at a time.

10. Using irregularly shaped cream tesserae, fill in the eight large segments between the outer and middle circle. Apply the adhesive directly to the table's surface, working on small areas at a time, and fix the tesserae in place.

11. Fill the small areas between the middle orange circle and the star with mustard tesserae. Use a mixture of wedge and large rectangular dark green tesserae to complete the star.

12. Fill in around the border using a combination of tesserae, plain and patterned, to complete the design.

13. Allow 24 hours for the adhesive to dry before grouting the table. Black grout is used to contrast with the brightly coloured design.

14. Wearing rubber gloves and using the rubber squeegee, apply liberal amounts of the grout over the surface. Use your hands to push the grout into any cracks that you may have missed. Wipe off the excess grout with the squeegee or with a cloth or rag and allow the mosaic to stand for 5-10 minutes.

15. Wipe off the excess grout with a damp sponge, rinsing the sponge as you work. You will need to go over the surface several times to ensure all the grout is removed. This may take several changes of water.

16. Once the mosaic is dry, a light film of grout residue will appear. Use a combination of slightly damp and clean, dry rags to polish the table.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Mosaics (Murdoch Books, Mini Workbook Series)