How to Quilt a Placemat

A standard 12- by 18-inch quilt placemat is easy to make and adds bright colors to your table setting. The top layer of the placemat can be either any quilted patchwork pattern you've made or a single piece of fabric. The bottom layer consists of fabric that compliments the top layer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 1/2 yard top layer cotton fabric
• 1/2 yard cotton backing fabric
• Batting
• Matching thread
• Sewing machine
• Safety pins
• Iron
• Sewing pins

1. Cut the top layer and batting into a 12- by 18-inch rectangle. Cut the backing fabric into a 13- by 19-inch rectangle. Make sure all the fabric is cut square and wrinkle free before proceeding.

2. Place the backing fabric face down and wrinkle free on a table. Center the batting piece on top and then add the top fabric piece, facing up and centered.

3. Pin all three layers together with safety pins, starting in the center and working your way towards the edge.

4. Stitch all three layers together by hand or machine. Sew the seams only as far as the top layer's edge and not into the backing material overhang. You can machine sew stripes or wavy patterns or hand sew a quilt pattern. Remove the safety pins as you sew. Now all three layers are secured together.

5. Iron flat a 1/4-inch edge of the backing fabric inward all the way around.

6. Fold the backing fabric in half towards the top layer and pin it in place with sewing pins. Make neat corners by folding the corner of the backing fabric downward into a triangle, then fold the long side over the quilted portion first, then the short side. The edge of the quilted section should now be covered by the folded backing material creating a frame look around the placemat.

7. Sew the backing fabric in place and remove the sewing pins.

Tips & Warnings

• Consider using felt instead of using batting as the thickening layer. It's cheaper and won't shift around as much as some types of batting.
• In sewing the three layers together, many people follow the lines in the quilt pattern or fabric pattern to help specific pictures like flowers or animals stand out.
• Instead of quilting the three layers together with seams, consider tying them together. You can use embroidery floss to make little knots across the placemat. The knots can follow along the fabric print to help edges stand out.
• Other fabrics available for quilting but the top and backing fabric must be the same type of material. If you use different material, the project will shrink unevenly and distort.

Resources

• World Wide Quilting page is a treasury of patterns and advice.
• Free Patterns provides free quilted placemat patterns.
• Craft and Fabric Links offers advice on finishing quilts.

[sandi591]

on 8/15/2009 good article, clear instructions, would be even better with pictures