Use this free placemat pattern and get a little bonus use out of your favorite blocks from your quilt patterns!
I love seeing people make things besides quilts with their Shiny Happy World quilt patterns.
Don’t get me wrong. I love seeing your finished quilts!
But if you make quilts – it’s a great way to get extra use out of your patterns.
And if you’re new and a little nervous about making a whole quilt, it’s a nice small, single-block project to dip your toes in. 🙂
Today let’s talk placemats.
They’re so easy to make!
Placemat Pattern Instructions
A typical placemat – one that easily fits a standard place setting – is anywhere from 12″ to 14″ tall and 18″ to 20″ wide.
(A fat quarter is typically 18″ x 20″ so any placemat in this size range will take two fat quarters and some batting.)
I cut my rectangles (a front, a back, and a batting) 13″ x 19″ – right smack in the middle of the normal range.
If you’re going to use Quilt As You Go and you like to quilt before you applique (that’s what I do) layer your placemat top with the batting (no backing yet!) and quilt however you like. Press it flat.
Next – add your applique character.
Positioning the Applique
Almost all the characters in my quilts are designed to fit in a 10″ square, and I find they work really well with this placemat pattern without any resizing. If you’re using another designer’s pattern, just enlarge or reduce the image to be 8-9 inches tall.
I like to position my image to one side or the other. If it’s centered it gets completely hidden by the plate, plus I like things to be asymmetrical. 🙂
Look at the way the image is framed/cropped. Maurice (my favorite cat from this Cats quilt pattern) is chopped off straight at the shoulders. I designed him to look like he was in a portrait. You’ll want to be sure to position that straight cut edge flush with the bottom edge of the placemat – like he’s popping into the frame and we just snapped a photo.
This bird from the Chirp pattern, on the other hand, isn’t cropped anywhere. Position complete images like this fairly close to the bottom edge of the placemat (that will anchor the image and keep her from looking like she’s floating in space) – but not so close that any part of her gets cut off when you sew up the edges.
See the difference?
Applique your image in place using your favorite technique.
Now comes the extra fast and easy part of this placemat pattern.
Finishing Your Placemat
You can, of course, layer on the backing and bind the edges just like a quilt. I love binding and would choose this technique unless I was in a hurry.
But not everyone shares my love of hand-sewn binding. 🙂
For all of you – here’s a fast and easy finish.
Layer the placemat front and back right sides together. Pin or clip all the way around the edges.
Sew it up around the edges (I used a 1/4″ seam allowance, but you can fudge that a little) leaving a few inches open on one side for turning.
Don’t forget to backstitch at the beginning and end of your stitching!
Clip the excess seam allowance off the corners – very close to your stitching. That will allow you to get nice crisp points.
Turn it right side out, smooth and straighten all the edges, gently poke out the corners, and press. Turn the seam allowance of the opening inside (so that folded edge lines up with the sewn edges) and press that too.
I like the topstitching around the edge of the placemat to be about the same distance from the edge as my topstitching on the applique pieces. That keeps everything looking neat and unified.
Finished!
There are so many possibilities for this! You can use any applique pattern. (I used blocks from Cats, Chirp, and Noisy Farm.)
Oooh! Instead of a name, use the Paper Dolls quilt pattern to create images that look like the person the placemat is for. That would be so much fun!
Use some of my free applique patterns to make a set of holiday placemats. I have free Halloween, Easter and Christmas patterns. 🙂
Instead of applique, do some embroidery. The placemat size and construction method is exactly the same.
You can make traditionally pieced placemats too! Just start with your favorite pieced block, and add enough fabric around it to get it up to the standard placemat size. The method is just like this one for turning any quilt block into a pillow.
Have fun with it!
Here are several free patterns that work with my basic 10-inch applique squares – no resizing needed!
Here are several free patterns that work with just some simple resizing. This post about making coasters has info about resizing an applique pattern that can be applied to any of these projects.
I know it’s not even Thanksgiving yet, but I wanted to share this free reindeer applique pattern early enough that you would have plenty of time to make it before Christmas. 🙂
You won’t need much fabric – less than a fat quarter of everything, so you can probably find what you need in your scraps. Here’s what I used – all from Timeless Treasures. . .
Cut a piece of background fabric and a piece of batting each 11″ square. You’ll trim it down to 10 1/2” square later, so it doesn’t have to be exact. If you’re using Quilt As You Go, quilt your block now. The quilting wouldn’t really show up on the busy fabric I chose, so I just quilted a simple grid and show it here from the back (batting) side.
Trace or print the pattern onto the paper side of the fusible adhesive. I use printable Heat & Bond Lite fusible adhesive so I just print out the page. No tracing! The image has already been reversed, so just trace or print.
Step 3
Rough cut around each shape. Leave a little bit extra all the way around – a little extra extra (at least 1/4 inch) where there’s a dotted line. That’s the allowance that will tuck under other bits or into the seam allowance for a nice clean finish. Follow the package instructions and fuse each piece to the wrong side of the fabric.
Step 4
Cut out each piece neatly. Cut directly on the solid lines. Leave a little seam allowance past the dotted lines (like at the base of the antlers and the top and bottom of the shoulders). Cutting after you fuse ensures that the adhesive goes right up to the very edge.
Step 5
Trace any features onto the face. If you hold the piece up to a window, the light will make the lines very visible – even on dark fabric. I mark directly on any lines to be sewn (like the mouth) and inside the bits marking the appliqué position (like the eyes and nose).
Here it is after tracing so you can see the eyes, nose and mouth marked. I just use a fine Sharpie, but you can use something erasable if you’re worried about being able to stitch right over that line for the mouth.
Step 6
Peel off the paper backing, arrange the pieces, and fuse in place according to the adhesive product instructions. Remember – dotted line edges tuck behind other bits. The bottom edge of the shoulders should be lined up with the bottom edge of the block.
If you’re using Quilt As You Go, press your already-quilted block before adding the appliqué.
Step 7
Stitch all the edges down. You can use any stitch you like, in matching or contrasting thread. I really love the cartoony look of a simple straight stitch with black thread.
Couching is a method of sewing 3-dimensional “stuff” (cord, braid, strings of beads or sequins, etc.) to fabric by zigzagging over it. It allows you to sew down things that can’t be sewn through. 🙂
You do need a special foot for couching. I the video I show you the one I use with my Bernina, and point out the features you need to look for when you’re buying one for your machine. They’re usually pretty inexpensive and it’s a nice foot to add if you do any decorative stitching.
You could use it to add raised whiskers on cats, raised stripes on a snake, pearly snow on the ground, and lots more. I can’t wait to see what you do with it!
Whoa! That monster is silver! Shiny, metallic silver!
When I want a bright, metallic look to my applique, I always grab some tissue lamé.
This surprises a lot of people, because tissue lamé is a notoriously fragile fabric and kind of a pain to work with. But I have tricks!
One of the main problems with it is that the edges fray like crazy.
Seriously. All you have to do is look at it and it does this.
But you can reinforce the fabric with fusible interfacing and it makes it much stronger and controls the fraying. Once the interfacing is applied you can treat it just like any other fabric.
Awesome!
Except that some tissue lamés melt at the temperatures required to melt the fusible adhesive on the interfacing. But you can use a press cloth – just like you do for the satin I talked about in this post.
Here’s a piece all ready to cut and applique.
And here are the steps I went through to get to this point.
Lay the tissue lamé out on your ironing board.
Layer a piece of fusible interfacing over the lamé. I use Pellon light weight interfacing.
Layer a press cloth over that and press, following the instructions on the interfacing for time and steam/no steam.
Rough cut your paper-backed fusible adhesive pieces and layer them over the interfacing. Cover that with a press cloth and fuse according to the fusible adhesive instructions.
Now you’re ready to cut out the pieces and fuse them to your applique – again keeping a press cloth between the metallic lamé and your iron.
Here’s a block where I used those hexies for shiny windows.
I just stitched around the edges as usual. The combination of fusible interfacing and fusible adhesive keeps the edges from fraying in every lamé I’ve tested – but the fiber content can vary quite a bit so I recommend testing before you use it for a full size quilt that you’re planning to wash a lot.
A little pop of metallic shininess can add so much to a lot of quilts. And tissue lamé comes in lots of fun colors!
Don’t be afraid to explore the fabric store beyond the quilting cottons section! A lot of those fabrics can be used in applique with just a little special handling. 🙂
Here are links to all the posts about choosing fabric.
Satin applique is just perfect for getting shiny smooooth things like this blue dragon.
Usually when I use satin in a quilt I use it for soft 3D pieces – like the lining on these fun, floppy ears in my Mix & Match Monsters quilt.
But you can do satin applique too – even if you use fusible adhesive!
Like fleece – the big problem is heat. The heat required to melt your fusible adhesive will melt most satins too.
The answer is simple.
Use a press cloth!
A press cloth isn’t anything fancy, and it isn’t anything you need to buy. It’s just a piece of regular woven cotton that you put between the potentially melty thing you’re ironing and your iron.
That fall tree in the top photo is satin. Here’s how I did it.
Fuse your paper-backed adhesive to the back of the satin, just like you would with any fabric except. . .
. . . top it all with a press cloth before you fuse.
Use the press cloth again when you fuse the tree top (or whatever) to your block.
After that just stitch around the edges as usual. The fusible adhesive keeps the edges from fraying in every satin applique I’ve tested – but the content of satins can really vary so you might want to make up a quick sample yourself and test it before you use it for a full size quilt that you’re planning to wash a lot.
Wouldn’t it be super cute to make all the cars and trucks in the Beep Beep quilt out of satin, so they’re shiny and smooth like real cars?
Have some fun adding satin applique to your next quilt project!
Here are links to all the posts about choosing fabric.
But you can also use glue stick to hold the fleece itself in place on a quilt block!
You can use any glue stick made specifically for fabric. It’ll hold really well (and make things kind of stiff) but it washes out easily so your finished quilt is cuddly and soft.
That means you do need to stitch the edges down permanently!
If you look at that blue bird up there you can see I used a fairly wide and open zigzag stitch around the edges. That’s one option.
Another option is just to use a simple straight stitch, like I do around all my other applique pieces. You can see that option on the snowy ground in this Shiny Happy Houses quilt block.
I loaded up large images for both of these – so you can click on them to see them closer. The zigzag stitching leaves a slightly crisper edge, where the straight stitch is a softer, fluffier edge. If you decide to applique with fleece, just choose the edge treatment that works best for your project!
Both of my examples are using cuddle fleece, but this method also works well for polar fleece. Just make sure to get the no-pill kind!
I’d love to see some fluffy, fleecy cats and dogs!
Here are links to all the posts about choosing fabric.
When I told folks that I was working with flannel on my next quilt, I got a lot of questions.
How do you keep it from pilling? Is it going to hold up to a lot of use? What about durability?
I got some variation of this question over and over and over again.
I understand! When my daughter was little, I made her a lot of pajama pants using all of those cute flannel prints you can find at the fabric store. Sometimes they held up really well, and sometimes they were very badly pilled after just one washing. And it seemed so random!
A lot of people also wanted to know about how well flannel would work for raw edge applique – particularly how badly it might fray.
I was worried about that too! So I decided to run a test.
I made two sample blocks – one flannel background with a cotton applique, and another flannel background with a flannel applique.
I tossed these blocks in every load of laundry I did for the last month. Everything – clothes, towels, sheets – everything. I put the blocks through both the washer and dryer with each load. That’s a lot of laundry and a pretty rugged test.
I was stunned by the results! In a good way. 🙂
Here’s the flannel background with the cotton applique.
No pilling! Not even a tiny bit! It gets a beautiful crinkle and the applique looks great. And did I mention that there’s no pilling?
And here’s the flannel block with the flannel applique.
No pilling – and no additional fraying on the applique!
I really expected to see more fraying around the edges but it’s pretty much the same as the smooth cotton.
The only difference I see is that the black outline and mouth line get a teeny bit lost in the fuzzier flannel surface. When I make a finished quilt (get the Peekaboo Bears quilt pattern here) I’ll use 12 wt. thread to outline the applique to get a slightly thicker line.
You know why the results are this good? I used good quality flannel! It makes such a difference.
For this test I used flannel from Timeless Treasures – a well-established manufacturer sold in quilt shops. I’m so excited with how terrific the results are that I’m planning two quilts using it.
The first is a remake of the Peekaboo Bears quilt with flannel backgrounds and non-flannel applique. Here are just a few of those blocks.
And someday I’m going to make an applique rag quilt. Oh yes! I think it’ll work great to use my applique patterns for a rag quilt and I can’t wait to give it a try!
There are two kinds of applique that rely on the print of the fabric you’re using – fussy cutting and broderie perse.
A lot of you have probably done fussy cutting without even realizing it has a name. It’s when you carefully position your applique template to incorporate images printed on the fabric.
I did it on this Paper Doll quilt block to make sure the top T.A.R.D.I.S. was centered on the V-neck and the bottom ones were lined up with the hem.
I also did it on this haunted house quilt block, to make sure there was a bat flying in the center of each window, and the skull was centered on the door.
Fussy cutting is easy. It just means paying attention when you position your templates. You can hold your fabric and templates up to a window so you can see really well where your outlines are falling.
Broderie perse is similar, in that it uses motifs printed on the fabric. But with broderie perse – the images ARE the templates. You’re cutting out the images on one fabric and appliqueing them to another. It’s traditionally done with flowers – but you can do it with anything you like!
Heres how I used broderie perse to add a couple of cute trick-or-treaters to one of my Shiny Happy Houses quilt blocks – designed especially for Halloween.
You have to start with adorable fabric. I’m using two fabrics from Dear Stella that are designed to work together.
Bundle Me Up is the fabric with the sweet animals faces, hands, and feet – but no bodies. Costume Party is the fabric with all the fun costumes for those critters to wear. So clever!
Roughly cut out the image you want (like the fox in this picture). Back it with fusible adhesive, and then cut the image out neatly (like the dress and crown).
The dress in this example already has little slippers attached, so when I cut out the fox neatly I decided to cut away the lower part of the body. It would have been hidden anyway and this makes assembly easier – I don’t have to line things up as perfectly.
I’m such a lazypants. 🙂
After that it’s applique as usual.
Position the critter first, then the costume and fuse it down with everything else in your block.
I stitched around all my pieces in simple black thread for a nice cartoony look. I added a couple of pumpkin buttons for their trick or treat pails, and – of course – some spider buttons on all that magnificent glow-in-the-dark spiderwebbing.
Have fun with broderie perse! It will make you look at your fabrics a whole different way. 🙂
Here are links to all the posts showing how to applique with fusible adhesive – my favorite method. It’s fast and easy and (with the right materials) it holds up beautifully to rough use and repeated washing.
