These quilted placemats give your dining room table a casual, rustic touch that is sure to charm your family and friends.
They feature the designs from the Redwork Vegetable Set
The finished size of each placemat is about 15 1/2" x 16 1/2".
For each mat you will need 3 fabrics: white or light cream for the central parts of the blocks (1/4 yard), green for the border and binding (about 1/2 yard) and 1/4 yard of patterned green fabric for the blocks. You will also need backing and batting, each piece measuring about 17" x 17".
Out of white fabric, cut 4 squares measuring 8 1/2" x 8 1/2".
Out of patterned green fabric cut 8 squares measuring 5" x 5".
Out of solid green fabric, cut 8 squares measuring 5" x 5" , 2 strips measuring
2 1/2" x 16 1/2" and 2 strips measuring 3 1/3" x 20 1/2". Also cut 2 strips 2" wide and the length of the width of the fabric for the binding.
On your working table, place a patterned green 5" x 5" square face up, cover it with a solid green 5" x 5" square face down. Align all sides.
With a sharp graphic pencil draw a diagonal.
Stitch 1/4" on the both side of the diagonal.
Cut along the diagonal. Press. Open. You'll get 2 new half-triangle squares.
Repeat with the rest of the green squares to get 16 half-triangle squares.
On your working table, place a white 8 1/2" x 8 1/2" square face up. Place one of the new half-triangle squares in one of the corners as shown. Align the sides.
Draw a diagonal as shown. Stitch along the diagonal.
Cut 1/4" from the stitchline.
Open the corner. Press.
Repeat for all corners.
For one placemat, you need four such blocks.
Stitch two blocks together in a row.
Stitch the two rows together.
Add the borders. First attach the upper and lower borders (solid green strips measuring 2 1/2" x 16 1/2"), then attach the left and right borders (solid green strips measuring 3 1/2" x 20 1/2")
Stabilize the central part of each block with iron-on cut-away stabilizer. Make the embroidery. Cut away the excess stabilizer.
You can also use polyester craft felt instead of the stabilizer. In this case we recommend to baste the quilt top to the felt in the ditch along the colored borders. After the embroidery is finished, rip the baste and cut away the excess felt around the embroidery.
Now place the backing on a flat surface (table) face down. Cover with batting. Spread your working piece over it.
Pin all three layers together with 1" pins and start quilting. We quilted along the lines of the embroidery and made stippling all over the mat.
After the quilting is finished, press the work with heavy steam and square the work -- all corners should be 90 degrees and opposite sides should be of the same length.
Finish the raw edges with the binding.
We further attached tassels to the placemats' corners.