Quilted Placemats with Strip Piecing

5 min read

Quilted placemats with strip piecing are a practical way to use up fabric scraps, and they dress up a table far better than plain store-bought mats. A placemat takes one evening, uses strips you already own, and teaches you the piecing, quilting, and binding skills behind a full quilt. Strip piecing is fast because you sew long strips together and then cut them into blocks, rather than sewing dozens of small pieces one by one. A set of four placemats makes a lovely housewarming gift.

Start with cotton fabric scraps in coordinating colors, cotton batting, a rotary cutter and mat, a quilting ruler, pins, and thread. Choose quilting cotton rather than stretchy or slippery fabric, since quilting cotton presses crisply and sews evenly. Pick four or five fabrics that share a color story, such as blues and creams, or autumn tones, so the placemats look coordinated.

Planning the Strip Layout

Plan your strip layout on paper before you cut, because a quick sketch saves you from a placemat that looks random. A classic layout uses five strips of different widths across a placemat about thirteen by eighteen inches, with a feature fabric in the center. Vary the strip widths, such as two inches, one inch, and three inches, since equal strips look flat while varied strips look designed. Repeat the same layout on all four placemats so the set matches, but vary the fabric order slightly for interest.

Choose a focal fabric with a print you love for one strip, and surround it with solids or small prints that let it shine. Too many large prints in one placemat compete with each other, so let one fabric be the star and the rest support it.

Cutting and Sewing Strips

Cut strips with a rotary cutter, a ruler, and a mat, keeping the cutter tight against the ruler for a straight edge. Cut strips a little longer than the finished placemat so you can trim them square after sewing, which is more accurate than cutting to exact size first. Sew the strips together with a quarter inch seam, pressing each seam to one side as you go, since pressing is what makes pieced work look crisp. Chain piecing, where you sew one strip after another without cutting the thread, speeds up the work.

Check that each seam is a true quarter inch, since seams that drift make the placemat wider on one end than the other. A quarter inch foot on your sewing machine helps, or mark the seam line on the machine with tape. After sewing all the strips into a panel, press the whole panel from the front with steam, which sets the seams and flattens the fabric.

Quilting the Layers

Layer the pieced top, batting, and backing, then baste them together with safety pins every few inches so the layers do not shift. Quilt along the seams, a technique called stitch in the ditch, which holds the layers together without adding new lines to the design. Use a walking foot if your machine has one, since it feeds all three layers evenly and prevents puckers. Quilt from the center outward, smoothing the fabric as you go, so wrinkles do not get trapped.

Choose thread that matches the background fabric for a subtle look, or a contrasting thread if you want the quilting to show as part of the design. Keep your stitches even and your speed steady, since rushing makes wobbly lines. If a section puckers, unpick it and requilt rather than leaving it, because puckers show more after washing.

Binding the Edges

Binding gives a placemat a clean, durable edge, and double-fold binding is the standard for quilted projects. Cut binding strips two and a half inches wide, join them into one long strip, and press the strip in half lengthwise. Sew the binding to the front of the placemat with a quarter inch seam, mitering the corners, then fold it to the back and hand stitch it down. Mitered corners take practice, so watch a video or practice on a scrap before you bind your first placemat.

Take your time on the corners, since a neat corner makes the whole placemat look professional. Fold the binding at a forty-five degree angle at each corner, then continue down the next side, which creates a tidy miter on the front and back. Hand stitch the back of the binding with small, even stitches, catching just a few threads of the backing fabric.

Washing and Using Placemats

Wash finished placemats in cool water with a gentle detergent, and tumble dry on low or lay them flat. Cotton placemats soften with washing and look better after the first few cycles, as the quilting puffs slightly and the fabric relaxes. If the colors bleed, wash the placemats in cool water with a color catcher sheet, and avoid hot water, which sets some dyes. Press the placemats with a warm iron if they come out wrinkled, and store them flat rather than folded to avoid creases.

Make a set of four for everyday use and a second set in holiday colors for special meals, since placemats are quick enough to make in batches. Use the same strip layout with different fabrics to build a collection, and keep a note of the strip widths that worked.

Like this one? The short list below is built from the same shelf, and How to Sew a Patchwork Cushion Cover with Log Cabin Blocks is a strong next pick.

Reference: Placemats — Wikipedia

Related Articles:

• How to Sew a Patchwork Cushion Cover with Log Cabin Blocks
• How to Make a Quilted Potholder
• How to Make a Pot Holder with Quilted Cotton