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Quilt-as-you-go placemats


I made a set of placemats using the quilt-as-you-go technique that I saw at The Quilt Patch in Tecumseh, Michigan last month. The Quilt Patch models featured a holiday print for the central medallion, but I used a 8-1/4 x 7 teacup block that I pieced using instructions from the "Crazy Little Teapot" quilt in Still Crazy by The Buggy Barn. I used all fabrics from my (recently re-organized) stash to make four 18 x 13 placemats.

 Materials needed to make one placemat:
  • one central medallion 8-1/4 x 7 inches
  • coordinating backing fabric sized 20 x 15 inches
  • lightweight fiberfill sized 18 x 13 inches
  • iron-on interfacing sized 18 x 13 inches
  • Color A = two pieces 3 x 7 inches
  • Color B = two pieces 1.5 x 7 inches, and two pieces 15.25 x 1.5 inches
  • Color C = two pieces 2 x 9 inches, and two pieces 18.5 x 2 inches
  • bobbin thread to match backing fabric
Recommended: walking foot for sewing machine
RST means place fabric pieces with the right sides together
Use 1/4-inch seam allowances.

 Instructions:
Iron interfacing to wrong side of backing fabric, centered, leaving one inch of backing fabric on all sides.
Pin lightweight fiberfill to backing.
Center 8-1/4 x 7 inch medallion right-side-up on fiberfill and pin in place.
Place one 3 x 7 inch piece of fabric Color A RST(right sides together) along a 7-inch side of the central medallion. Align the edge of the face down fabric with the edge of the face up medallion. Pin in place and stitch using 1/4-inch seam allowance.
Pull the bobbin thread through to the top side, tie off, and clip thread to an inch or two in length. (Note: always pull bobbin thread through, tie, and clip for each seam sewn on this project.)
Press fabric open along seamline.
Repeat process with the other 3 x 7 inch piece of fabric Color A on the other side of the medallion.
Pin 1.5 x 7 inch pieces of fabric Color B RST to each 7-inch side of the placemat motif completed thus far.
Closeup of fabric Color B pinned in place. Stitch, pull bobbin thread through, tie, and clip thread then press open along seam line. Repeat on the other side. 
Place 15.25 x 1.5 inch piece of Color B RST across horizontal aspect of the motif and pin in place.
Closeup of 15.25 x 1.5 inch piece of fabric Color B pinned to motif. Stitch, pull thread through, tie and clip, and press open along seam line. Repeat on opposite horizontal side of motif. This will create a complete surrounding border of fabric Color B on motif.
Pin 2 x 9 inch piece of fabric Color C RST along both vertical sides of motif. Stitch, pull thread, tie and clip, and press open along seamline. Repeat for other vertical side of motif. 
Pin 18.5 x 2 inch piece of fabric Color C to both horizontal sides of motif.
Stitch, pull thread, tie and clip, and press open along seamline. 
 This will create a complete surrounding border of fabric Color C on motif.
Press backing fabric over 1/2-inch on all sides of placemat.
Miter corners of placemat.
Fold over backing fabric to bind all edges of placemat.
Hand-stitch binding in place.
 I hand quilted the elements of the central pieced motif.
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