Practice your running stitch with these big stitch felt coasters.
This project is all about those big stitches!
It’s simple, fun and easy.
It’s all hand-sewn – perfect for stitching while you binge-watch your favorite show. 🙂
My friends at Sulky were watching my progress on this big-stitched lap-sized quilt. . .
(It’s a WIP from my Big Stitches and Patchy Patchwork class.)
They knew I was using Sulky Petites 12 wt. thread for all the big stitch quilting, and they knew this was a BIG project. They asked me if I’d consider designing a smaller project for people who just wanted to give big stitch quilting a try.
Of course I would!
I loooooove stitching in spirals and I had been kicking around the idea of making some round coasters. This is what came out of it!
Materials
- 2 9×12 sheets of wool-blend felt (I used the color licorice)
- scraps of fabric (I recommend solids so your stitches really show up well.)
- Sulky Soft & Sheer
- 12 wt. Sulky Petites
Other Tools and Supplies
- fabric glue stick
- #8 embroidery needle
- pinking shears (optional)
Step 1
Trace a circle onto the Sulky Soft & Sheer. You can trace a jar lid or a roll of tape – anything coaster-sized.
![circle traced on Sulky Soft & Sheer stabilizer](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/01-trace-circle-600x450.jpg)
I forgot to measure my circle before I shipped the finished coasters. I think it was about 3 ¼ inches?
Step 2
Roughly cut around the circle, leaving at least ¼ inch of stabilizer all around the circle. Layer with a scrap of fabric, right sides together, and sew directly on the traced line.
![making coasters - circle sewn on stabilizer with pink fabric](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/02-sew-circle-600x450.jpg)
Sew all the way around the circle.
Step 3
Trim around the edge, leaving a narrow seam allowance.
![making coasters - sewn circle, cut out with pinking shears](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/03-pink-seam-allowance-600x450.jpg)
I like to use pinking shears so I don’t have to trim notches to remove bulk.
Step 4
Pull the layers apart and cut a small slit in the center of the Sulky Soft & Sheer.
![turning a circle of pink fabric right side out](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/04-separate-front-and-back-600x450.jpg)
Step 5
Turn the dot right side out through the slit.
![Circle of fabric turned right side out with stabilizer backing](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/05-turn-dot-600x450.jpg)
Smooth the curved edge and press it flat.
![finished circle with neatly turned edges](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/06-turn-and-press-600x450.jpg)
See? A nice, neat circle with perfectly turned edges.
Step 6
Glue the circle to a scrap of felt using fabric glue stick.
![Making Felt Coasters - pink fabric circle glued to a square of grey felt.](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/07-glue-to-felt-600x450.jpg)
Step 7
Using running stitch and a single strand of Sulky Petites 12 wt. Thread, sew the circle to the felt all the way around the edge.
![Making Polkadot Felt Coasters - sewing a pink circle of fabric to grey felt using a running stitch and matching thread.](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/08-outline-stitch-600x450.jpg)
There’s a video here showing how to embroider running stitch.
Step 8
Once you get all the way around the outside edge, start spiraling in to the center of the circle.
![Making Polkadot Felt Coasters - stitching a pink circle down to grey felt using running stitch](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/09-spiral-stitch-600x450.jpg)
Step 9
Using a glue stick, glue a second layer of felt to the back of the first.
![Making polkadot felt coasters - almost finished.](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/11-glue-coaster-back-with-glue-600x450.jpg)
Step 10
Cut out the final coaster circle through both layers of felt at the same time for a perfectly even edge.
![making polkadot felt coasters - almost finished](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/14-coaster-circle-with-scissors-600x450.jpg)
Cut just a little bit beyond the edge of the fabric dot so that you can see the felt color around the edge.
Step 11
Using running stitch and a single strand of Sulky Petites 12 wt. Thread to match the felt, sew the felt edges together.
![close up image of Big Stitch Felt Coasters, showing the detail of the stitching](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/16-coaster-edge-detail-600x450.jpg)
Finished! Now make more in every color of the rainbow.
![Felt polkadot coaters made with big stitch quilting](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/coasters-with-thread-1000-px-600x600.jpg)
Pretty, pretty big stitch felt coasters!
Happy stitching!
![](https://www.shinyhappyworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/dotted-line-600-px-600x26.jpg)
Just want to say thank you! Enjoy you & your work… your attitude is great!
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There’s nothing at the tutorial link.
I fixed it. 🙂
Add a little gold knob and you’ve got Christmas balls. A set would make great and quick hostess gifts. 💖🌞🌵😷
Thank you so much for this pattern! did you do the initial circle on the machine? The stitches look so perfect!
Yes – the stitching I did to make the polkadot was on the machine. Everything else is stitched by hand.