Hey everyone! Today you will learn to make a simple placemat set that lets a soft, starry blender brighten your whole table.
Meet the Fabric
Here we go. This one is gentle and a little bit dreamy.
It is 4th & Main Favorites Galaxy in Vanilla. It comes from Northcott. The collection is 4th & Main Favorites.
The print is Galaxy. The color is Vanilla. That is soft vanilla, just like it sounds.
It layers starry galaxy texture across that soft vanilla. Night-sky calm is exactly right.
This is a quilting fabric, 45 inches wide, sold by the yard. It comes from High Country Quilts through Linda's Electric Quilters.
But on placemats, this blender gets to be the whole show. Just like that. That pale vanilla works with almost any dishes, and that starry texture keeps a simple rectangle from looking plain.
Why It Works for a Placemat Set
Placemats are one of my favorite quick finishes. No big quilt to wrestle. Just fresh fabric on a table you use every single day.
We are aiming for four placemats, each finishing at 12 inches by 18 inches. Big enough for a plate and silverware. Small enough to sew in an afternoon.
This fabric suits the project for a simple reason. The galaxy texture is all-over, so you do not have to center a big motif or match a print at the seams.
I have wrestled with that matching before. One placemat lined up beautifully. Oh my goodness. The next one traveled in a whole different direction.
With Galaxy Vanilla, you can cut with confidence. The texture is forgiving.
You have options here, too. Bind them like tiny quilts, or turn them right side out. My preference is the turned version. It is faster and beginner friendly. But it is completely up to you.
What You Will Need
- 1 1/4 yards of 4th & Main Favorites Galaxy Vanilla for four placemats, fronts and backs
- 4 pieces of low-loft cotton batting, each 12 inches by 18 inches
- 50-weight cotton thread in a soft cream that blends with vanilla
- An 80/12 quilting or universal needle
- Rotary cutter, ruler, mat, pins or clips, and your iron
- Optional: a chopstick or point turner for neat corners
We are not reinventing the wheel here.
Brief Steps to Make Them
Step 1: Cut the fabric. For each placemat, cut two rectangles 12 1/2 inches by 18 1/2 inches. That gives you eight pieces total for four placemats, including seam allowance. Take your time and check your ruler twice.
Step 2: Layer each placemat. Place one batting piece down, then one fabric rectangle right side up on it, then the second rectangle right side down. Pin or clip all the way around.
Step 3: Sew around it. Sew all four sides with a 1/4-inch seam allowance, leaving a 4-inch opening on one long side for turning. Set your stitch length to about 2.5, roughly 10 to 12 stitches per inch, and backstitch at the start and finish.
Step 4: Turn and press. Clip the corners at an angle, turn each placemat right side out through the opening, and push the corners out gently. Press well, tucking the opening edges in line with the seam.
Step 5: Topstitch. Stitch around each placemat about 1/8 inch from the edge. That closes the opening and gives you a clean finish. Go slow at the corners, and pivot with the needle down.
Step 6: Add a little quilting. If you like, stitch a few straight lines, or echo the edges once more. Keep it simple.
Just like that, you have a set of four. Super duper easy, and really really pretty in that soft vanilla.
Practical Tips From My Sewing Room
First, press before you sew and after you sew. Your iron does half the finishing for you, especially on placemats that need to lie flat.
Second, cut all eight rectangles before you sew. Your set will match in size much better.
Third, warn yourself at the corners. Slow down or the needle snaps is a little dramatic here, but thick layers can still push you off line. Ease through them.
And here is your permission beat, friends. It does not have to be perfect. If one corner is a tiny bit soft or one topstitch wobbles, that is fine. You are your own worst critic. Nobody is bringing a ruler to your dinner table.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Take your time. It is not a race. Enjoy making something useful for your own home.
Thanks so much for sewing with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the 4th & Main Favorites Galaxy Vanilla 45" wide fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
