I've done this too, and just used some same colour fabric on the back with db sided iron-on adhesive, then some darning stitches with same colour thread. No one will notice, or care.

I wish you could change the title to, "Whoops, I made a mistake."
We all make them. This one sounds like another applique would be in order, but Gay's suggestion would work if the holes are small.

Is the quilt already quilted, If not, replace the torn strips in the blocks. Tedious but manageable.

Redo the applique, but make it a touch bigger. Stabilize the back.

Wow, such a great response to a once thought impossible problem! I am so grateful to all of you.
At this moment I believe either the ideas from Up North and Rhonda K will resolve my dilemma. So, off to my sewing area to fix my boo-boo.

Berry winecooler sounds like like an even better idea!��

relieved Renate

First - stop being so hard on yourself - we have all done this or something worse. After you have had a moment, you will realize this will not be a mistake but an opportunity to add a design element! It is a santa quilt, so, are they in spots to add small ornaments? a small wrapped christmas package? a peppermint candy applique? or even place a few stars in the same color as your center pieces of the log? If you scatter a few of these things around, everyone will think it is part of your design and will be amazed !!!!!

I'm glad things are getting better for you Tippysmom. If you've been quilting long enough similar things happen to us all... I can't tell you all the ways and times and sometimes reasons I've cut a quilt or otherwise had to do a major repair. The only other idea I can give you if the tears are on the log cabin part at the site of the applique is to consider an outline/shadow the shape of the Santa only a little larger, think of a half inch of black or whatever. I had a friend do that once, we all commented on how it made the applique pop out and she confided that it was "just a fix".

I fix a lot of worn out quilts for various other quilters, just completed one that was 50 years old and the young man passed away, so was very important that I correct it without disturbing the original design and fabrics. I use lace a lot to make repairs, the lace should match the color you are trying to fix, cream and white are my first choice, just use school glue and paint a light coat on the lace, tuck the pieces together as best as you can, let it dry then use your sewing machine with tiny stitches, do a zig zag perhaps, you may have to place a small piece of fabric or lace on the underside of your background, to help stabilize your work. Sometime I use crayola crayons so you cannot find the mend. If you use the crayons, lay a paper towel on the crayons marks, and hold a warm iron on the spot, to lift off any excess wax.

Can you enlarge the applique just enough to cover the rips and reapply it.

Applique is your friend when hiding little design elements you didn't mean to add.