Project

Holiday Placemats

By Patty Marty

If you’re a fan of log cabin quilts, you’re sure to love the simplistic nature of these placemats. Using a Baby Lock sewing machine makes sewing fun and easy when decorating for the holidays.

Materials:

• 1 Jelly Roll Holiday print fabric or 2 ½” strips of coordinating fabrics
• 1/2 Yard of print for backing and binding
• Baby Lock Ultra Soft Stabilizer (BLC204)
• Madeira® Cotona thread to match fabric
• Rotary cutter, mat and ruler
• Temporary adhesive spray (optional)

Tools:

• Baby Lock® sewing and quilting machine
• ¼” piecing foot (some options that work with most Baby Lock machines include BLSO-QF (shown), BLSO-QGF, ESG-QGF, ESG-QF)

Steps:

1. The supply list will make two placemats. Use the layout in the printable instructions with the piecing order for the log cabin top.
2. To create a single log cabin cut the following sections from the jelly roll or 2 ½” strips:
1. From the darkest jelly roll fabric length cut a 2 ½” square for the center.
2. For the 2nd and 3rd sections cut a 2 ½” square and a 2 ½” x 4 ½” from a light section.
3. For the 4th and 5th sections cut a piece 2 ½” x 4 ½” and a section 2 ½” x 6 ½” from a dark section.
4. For the 6th and 7th sections cut a piece 2 ½ x 6 ½” and a 2 ½” x 8 ½” from another different light section.
5. For the 8th and 9th sections cut a piece 2 ½” x 8 ½” and another 2 ½” x 10 ½” from a different dark print.
6. For the 10th and 11th sections cut a piece 2 ½” x 10 ½” and another 2 ½” x 12 ½” from another light fabric.
7. For the 12th and 13th sections cut a piece 2 ½” x 12 ½” and another 2 ½” x 14 ½” from another dark print.
3. Cut a 15” square from the print fabric for the backing.
4. Cut a 15” square of the Ultra Soft Fusible stabilizer. Set aside.
5. If making multiple placemats, you will want to cut additional pieces for the quantity of placemats.
6. Set up the machine for sewing:
1. Thread the machine.
2. Attach a ¼” piecing foot to the machine.
3. Wind the bobbin with the same thread as used for the upper thread.
4. Set machine to a center needle stitch to create a ¼” seam. (Q-01)
7. Sew the first square to the second square as shown in the layout below
1. Press the seam toward the darker fabric.
2. Note: pressing is very important and should always be performed after each seam has been stitched. The quilt top will have a neater and more professional look.
8. Press the seam toward the darker fabric.
1. Note: pressing is very important and should always be performed after each seam has been stitched. The quilt top will have a neater and more professional look.
9. Sew the third section to the 1st and 2nd section.
1. Be sure that the raw edges are even.
2. Pin the sections together to keep the fabric from shifting.
10. Continue to sew the sections together in the order shown on the layout below.
11. Watch the Sew Easy, Sew Fun Video to see a quick tutorial on how these are put together. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FPTZZtWouo
12. Fuse a 15” square piece of the Ultra Soft stabilizer to the backside of the quilted placemat top.
1. Layer with the placemat backing.
2. Pin or spray baste the layers together.
13. To quilt the placemat top, top stitch ¼” away from each of the seam lines. This will give the placemat some depth.

14. Square up the placemat top to measure approximately14 ½” x 14 ½”.

15. Sew the binding strips together with mitered seams. Using the Guideline marker helps to keep your stitching lined up when sewing mitered seams.

16. Trim off excess fabric. Fold and press in half.
17. Attach the binding to the back of the placemat using a ¼” seam allowance and your favorite binding method.
18. Press and fold to the front and use a decorative stitch, such as a serpentine stitch, to attach the binding to the front of the placemat.
19. Now you can add some holiday pizzazz to your mealtime!
20. Log Cabin Layout