Hey everyone. Today you'll learn how to cut a crisp set of quilted placemats, starting with a fresh blade.
First, let's talk about the blades. These are the 45mm SKS-7 Replacement Rotary Blades from Famoré, and they come two to a pack. Famoré says they are meticulously crafted from the highest quality Japanese steel. That SKS-7 steel is the whole story here.
Famoré built these blades to the same high standards as their Professional Tungsten Carbide Rotary Blade. They will tell you plainly, though. These are not as heavy-duty as tungsten carbide. What you get instead is a level of durability similar to the standard blades you already use day to day. That is honest, and I appreciate it.
The tags on this one say it clearly. 45mm rotary blade. Fabric cutting. Quilting blade. Replacement rotary blade. Left handed friendly, too. And like all of their products, Famoré proudly offers sharpening services for these blades. A blade you can resharpen is a blade you keep longer.
I reach for a fresh blade before a cutting-heavy project. Every time. A dull blade makes you push harder. Pushing harder makes your cut wander. A sharp 45mm blade and a steady hand give you clean edges. Just like that.
The project: a set of four placemats
Our project today is a placemat set. We are making four placemats. Each one finishes at about 12 by 18 inches. That is a good, generous size for a dinner plate and a napkin. Super duper fun to make in sets.
Why do these blades suit placemats? A placemat starts with straight cuts. Then you layer fabric and batting. Then you trim everything square after quilting. That is a lot of long, layered cutting. A 45mm blade is the workhorse size for quilting cotton and a thin batting sandwich, and a fresh edge keeps every rectangle the same size.
We are keeping the design simple. One front fabric. One back fabric. Batting in the middle. Binding around the edge. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
What you will need
- One pack of 45mm SKS-7 Replacement Rotary Blades, loaded in your 45mm handle
- 1 yard of quilting cotton for the placemat fronts
- 1 yard of quilting cotton for the backs
- Cotton batting, about 1 yard, or four pieces at least 14 by 20 inches
- About 1/2 yard for binding, cut into 2 1/2 inch strips
- Thread, a machine needle in size 80/12, and pins or clips
- A cutting mat, a clear ruler, and an iron
Brief steps
Start by loading your fresh blade. Then cut eight fabric rectangles, 13 by 19 inches. Four are fronts. Four are backs. Cut four batting rectangles the same size. Roll slow and steady here. Keep the ruler firm with your other hand.
Layer each placemat. Back fabric right side down. Batting on top. Front fabric right side up. Pin the layers together every few inches so nothing shifts.
Quilt each one however you like. Straight lines are easy and look clean. Try lines 1 inch apart, or a simple meander if you want to freehand it. Set your stitch length around 2.5 millimeters. That is roughly 10 to 12 stitches per inch. Keep your seam allowance at 1/4 inch anywhere you piece a front.
Now trim. This is where that fresh blade earns its keep. Trim each quilted placemat to exactly 12 1/2 by 18 1/2 inches. Work one side at a time. Line the ruler up, hold it firm, and make one clean pass.
Join your 2 1/2 inch binding strips. Press the binding in half lengthwise. Sew it around each placemat with a 1/4 inch seam. Miter the corners as you go. Fold the binding to the back and stitch in the ditch from the front, or hand stitch it down. Completely up to you.
Tips from my table
Here is my warning at the moment of risk. Slow down on that final trim, or the layers shift and your corners come out uneven. A quilted sandwich is thicker than plain fabric. Give the blade time to roll through it. Never force it.
Close the blade guard between cuts, every single time. And swap blades the moment you feel yourself pushing. I have made that mistake, folks. I pushed through a whole stack with a dull blade, and every edge needed a second trim. A fresh blade would have saved me twenty minutes.
Press before you bind, not just after. A flat placemat takes binding so much easier. And if your quilting lines wander a little, that is real stitching by a real person.
And here is your permission beat. These placemats do not have to be perfect. You are your own worst critic. Nobody at your table is measuring your binding. They are just glad dinner looks nice. Take your time. It is not a race. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Thanks so much for sewing along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 45mm SKS-7 Replacement Rotary Blades - 2pcs at Linda's Electric Quilters.
