Hey everyone. Today you will learn to make four placemats with simple wool appliqué in a calm slate grey.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric first
This is the LN05 - Slate Merino Wool Fabric, from WonderFil USA.
It is part of Sue Spargo's mill-dyed colors, 60 colors in all. This one is Slate, a soft blue-grey.
The fabric is 100% Superior Grade Virgin Australian Merino Wool. It is proficiently woven and richly dyed. It is raised to a perfect hand.
It feels soft and luxuriously felted, designed for ease of stitch penetration. Your needle slides through without a fight.
The color boasts an even and saturated dye. It also possesses unparalleled colorfastness.
Now the real numbers. This size is a Fat 1/8. It measures 18 inches by 14 inches. It is cut from a true 36-inch yard.
The listed usages include wool appliqué, rug hooking, quilts, apparel, crafts, and more. We are using it for wool appliqué.
A matching Ellana 28wt 50/50 wool/acrylic appliqué thread is available separately. Use it, or use what you have. Completely up to you.
The project: a slate placemat set
A placemat set is four matching mats for your table. Each one finishes about 13 inches by 18 inches.
That fits a dinner plate, flatware, and a glass with room to spare.
One Fat 1/8 will not cover four whole placemats. That is just fine, folks. Cotton does the heavy work. The wool becomes the pretty detail.
Why does it suit placemats? Wool appliqué edges do not fray. Your motifs stay clean wash after wash on the base fabric.
Slate is forgiving at the table, too. It pairs with almost any dish you own.
And y'all, your leaves do not have to match. Real leaves never do. You are your own worst critic. Take your time. This is not a race.
Materials list
- 1 piece of LN05 - Slate Merino Wool Fabric — Fat 1/8, 18 inches by 14 inches
- About 1 1/4 yards of quilting cotton in total, for 4 tops and 4 backs
- 4 pieces of low-loft batting, each cut at 13 inches by 18 inches
- Optional matching Ellana 28wt 50/50 wool/acrylic appliqué thread, available separately
- All-purpose sewing thread for construction
- Freezer paper, a fine marker, and sharp small scissors
- Hand-sewing needles, pins, a ruler, a rotary cutter, and an iron
Brief steps
1. Cut the bases. Cut 4 top rectangles at 13 1/2 inches by 18 1/2 inches. Cut 4 back rectangles the same size. That includes a 1/4-inch seam all around.
2. Cut the wool shapes. Trace a simple leaf about 3 inches long onto freezer paper. Press the paper lightly to the wool. Cut 20 leaves and 16 small circles about 1 inch across. Cut slowly, or the points get ragged.
3. Lay out each motif. On each top, arrange 5 leaves as a small sprig in one lower corner. Add 4 circles nearby like berries. Keep the motif at least 1 inch from every edge.
4. Stitch the appliqué. Blanket stitch each shape by hand. Aim for stitches about 1/4 inch apart and 1/4 inch deep. Keep the thread snug, not tight. Slow down on the curves, or the edge puckers.
5. Build the sandwich. Lay one back piece right side up. Lay the appliquéd top on it, right sides together. Place the batting on top of the stack. Pin well around all four sides.
6. Sew and turn. Sew around the edge with a 1/4-inch seam. Leave a 4-inch gap open on one long side. Clip the corners, turn it right side out, and poke the corners out gently.
7. Press and topstitch. Press flat from the back with a light touch. Tuck the gap edges in. Topstitch 1/8 inch from the edge all the way around. That closes the gap too. Just like that.
8. Add a little quilting. Echo stitch one line around each sprig, about 1/4 inch out. Or travel a straight line or two across the mat. My preference is one echo line, but it is completely up to you.
Practical tips
Test your blanket stitch on a scrap first. Wool forgives a lot, but a test tells the truth.
I once stitched a leaf on backwards myself. Oh my goodness. The fix was easy. I unpicked four stitches and flipped it over.
Save every wool scrap. Tiny circles make sweet flower centers on your next project. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
If I can do this, y'all can do it. Super duper useful, and really really pretty on the table.
Thanks so much for stitching along with me today. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the LN05 - Slate Merino Wool Fabric at Linda's Electric Quilters.
