Hey everyone. Today we're making a fresh set of four placemats, and we're letting a pretty mottled batik do most of the work.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric
This is Bali Mottles Seagrass from Hoffman California Fabrics.
It is a batik cotton.
And it runs 44 to 45 inches wide.
It is sold by the yard.
So you can buy what this project needs.
No more, no less.
The pattern is right there in the name.
Mottles.
That means soft, blended variation across the surface.
Not a sharp print. Not a flat solid.
Something in between, and really really pretty.
The colorway is called Seagrass.
And the listing tags this one as multi-color.
That tracks with a good batik, folks.
The color shifts a little as it moves.
It catches light differently from one spot to the next.
Cut it large and you see the blend.
Cut it smaller and you still get depth.
That is exactly what you want on a table.
Interest up close, calm from across the room.
We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Simple rectangles, straight quilting, beautiful fabric.
Just like that, supper feels a little more special.
The project: a placemat set of four
We are making four placemats.
Each one finishes at 12 inches by 18 inches.
That is a good, standard placemat size.
Room for a plate, silverware, and a glass.
Without crowding everybody at the table.
Why does this fabric suit it?
A placemat is basically a little quilt that works for a living.
It gets seen up close, every single day.
A mottled batik hides a lot of everyday life.
A drip here, a crumb there — it blends right in.
And because there is no motif to center, cutting is easy.
No direction to match. No flower to line up.
You cut your rectangles and you sew.
Super duper easy, and super duper useful.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Materials
- 1 yard of Bali Mottles Seagrass Batik Cotton for the placemat tops
- 1 yard of a coordinating quilting cotton for the backs
- 1 yard of low-loft cotton batting, at least 44 inches wide
- 1/2 yard of cotton for binding, cut into 2 1/2-inch strips
- 50-weight cotton thread for piecing, quilting, and binding
- Size 80/12 needle, walking foot if you have one, rotary cutter, ruler, and clips
Brief steps
- Cut four top pieces, each 12 inches by 18 inches. Cut four backing pieces and four batting pieces the same size.
- Layer one placemat: backing wrong side up, batting on top, then the Seagrass top right side up. Pin or baste well.
- Quilt straight lines about 2 inches apart across the placemat. Use a 2.5 stitch length and let the walking foot feed those layers evenly.
- Trim each quilted placemat back to a clean 12 inches by 18 inches. Square those corners while you're at it.
- Join your 2 1/2-inch binding strips with diagonal seams. Press the binding in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.
- Sew the binding to the front with a 1/4-inch seam. Miter each corner, then fold it to the back and stitch it down.
- Repeat for all four placemats. Press each one flat, and set that table.
Practical tips before you sew
First, press this batik well before you cut.
Batiks come off the bolt with some body to them.
A good press makes your cuts honest.
And honest cuts make everything easier later.
Second, slow down at the binding corners.
That miter is a lot of layers in one spot.
Slow down or the needle snaps.
Stop with the needle down, pivot, and ease through.
Third, you have choices on the quilting.
Straight lines are clean and modern.
A gentle meander is softer and quicker.
Stitch in the ditch isn't needed here — there are no seams to hide in. So pick the quilting you enjoy.
Completely up to you.
You could also skip the binding and do a turned edge.
That works. It just won't wear quite as long on the edges.
My preference is the binding. It frames that mottled color so nice.
And hear me on this one.
It does not have to be perfect.
If one quilting line wanders a hair, let it wander.
You are your own worst critic.
Nobody at your table is measuring your lines.
They are reaching for seconds.
Take your time. It's not a race.
Make two if four feels like a lot today.
You can always make the rest this weekend.
Alrighty. Thanks for sewing along with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Bali Mottles Seagrass Batik Cotton 44"/45" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
