Hey everyone! Today you are going to learn how to sew a game-day placemat set that makes the whole table feel like a celebration.
Meet the fabric
This one is the Blue Patch Perfect Sports cotton from PBS Fabrics.
It is 100% cotton.
The width of fabric is 43/44 inches.
It was made by Paintbrush Studio Fabrics.
It is part of the Patch Perfect collection.
It is also listed as OEKO-TEX CERTIFIED.
The color named in the title is blue.
And the print is pure play ball, folks.
Think baseballs and footballs.
Think soccer balls and a good goal.
The product notes call it a lightweight quilting cotton.
It tends to hold its shape even after being washed.
That makes it perfect for quilting and crafting structured garments.
It is sold by the yard, so you can order what your project needs.
Why it suits a placemat set
A placemat is a small, flat rectangle.
That shape lets a busy sports print shine.
No tiny piecing chops up the balls.
Each place setting gets its own little field.
This cotton holding its shape matters here.
Placemats get washed a lot, y'all.
Spills happen. That is just game day.
You want them flat after washing.
I am making a set of four today.
Each one finishes at 12 by 18 inches.
That is a generous, standard placemat size.
One and a half yards makes all four.
That covers the fronts and the backs.
Completely up to you on the count.
Make two for a small table.
Make six if your crowd runs bigger.
Materials list
- Blue Patch Perfect Sports Cotton 43"/44" Fabric Per Yard — 1 1/2 yards for a self-backed set of four placemats
- Thin cotton batting or fusible fleece — about 1 yard, or scraps cut to size, for soft padding
- Thread — I reach for a 50-weight cotton in blue or a soft neutral that blends
- A fresh needle — an 80/12 universal or quilting needle is plenty for these layers
- Rotary cutter, ruler, and mat — for clean, straight 13-by-19-inch cuts
- Pins or clips, an iron, and your sewing machine
Brief steps
Step 1: Wash, press, and cut. Pre-wash and press your fabric if you plan to wash the finished placemats. For each placemat, cut two rectangles, each 13 by 19 inches. Cut one batting piece per placemat at 12 by 18 inches.
Step 2: Layer each placemat. Lay one fabric rectangle wrong side up. Center the batting on top of it. Lay the second fabric rectangle right side up over the batting. That is your little sandwich, ready to quilt.
Step 3: Pin and quilt simply. Pin or clip around the edges and in the middle. Quilt with a few straight lines, about 2 inches apart, using a stitch length around 3.0. Or try stitch in the ditch around your favorite motifs. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Step 4: Trim it square. Trim each quilted placemat down to exactly 12 by 18 inches. Take your time on this step. A square placemat just looks right on the table.
Step 5: Bind the edges. Cut 2 1/2-inch binding strips from your leftover fabric. Join them as needed for each placemat. Sew the binding on with a 1/4-inch seam, miter the corners, and fold it to the back. Stitch it down by machine or by hand.
Step 6: Press and set the table. Give each placemat a good final press. Stack them up, set them out, and stand back for a second. Just like that, dinner feels like an event.
Practical tips from my sewing table
Fussy cut with a little patience.
Center a football on one placemat.
Center a soccer ball on the next.
Mixing them up is super duper fun.
Go slow through the thick spots.
Binding corners stack up the layers.
Slow down there, or the needle can snap.
Keep your quilting lines simple.
Two inches apart is plenty here.
The print is already doing the talking.
If batting scraps are what you have, use them.
Piece them together with a zigzag stitch.
Nobody will ever see that join.
Here is the permission part.
It does not have to be perfect.
You are your own worst critic.
If a binding corner is a little round, leave it.
Nobody is inspecting your placemats at dinner.
They are reaching for the snacks.
Take your time. It is not a race.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Make a set for your table first.
Then, completely up to you, make a set for your favorite fan. Alrighty.
Thank you so much for sewing along with me today.
We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Blue Patch Perfect Sports Cotton 43"/44" Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
