Monthly Project for November, 2002
Hawaiian Placemats for Thanksgiving
It's turkey time again and we have a wonderful selection of Hawaiian print double-faced quilted (DFQ) fabric for fast and easy placemats. Bring a little aloha and alot of color to your family celebration this season. After dinner is pau (done) they will wash and dry quickly for the next occasion. Please email any questions you may have to: lani@gotfabric.com.
To you and your loved ones have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Aloha, Lani
*Read through directions BEFORE starting any project
**Prewash fabric BEFORE cutting/sewing
Materials Needed
- 1-3/8 yds. Hawaiian print double-faced quilt (DFQ) fabric [makes (6)
- 13"x18" mats]
- 4 pkgs. matching bias tape 1" wide single fold (approx. 1- 3/4 yds. bias needed per mat) thread to match bias tape
Cutting
Measure and cut a 13" x 18" rectangle. Select a small bowl or plate; place on each corner of rectangle and draw a curve following plate/bowl edge. Trim along line to round the edges of mat. Use rectangle as a pattern to cut (5) additional mats.
Sewing
Press 1 package of bias tape in half lengthwise; DO NOT cut. Encase bottom raw edge of mat with 1 bias strip, pinning only a few inches. Select a zigzag or decorative design; stitch close to inner edge of bias, not outside edge. If you select a straight stitch be sure to catch the bias edge on the underside of the mat. A zigzag/decorative stitch eliminates this problem. Encase the mat a few inches at a time & stitch all the way around the raw edge of DFQ until 3" before you reach the beginning again; measure bias tape 1/2" past the beginning of stitched bias and cut off excess; tuck under 1/2" bias and complete stitching for a nice, clean finish. Stitch leftover bias strips together as necessary to complete each mat.
Tips
- Use a contrasting thread when stitching bias for a different look.
- Pin & stitch a few inches at a time; check the underside frequently to be sure the stitching is catching the bias tape on both sides.
- Use a different decorative stitch for each mat. Our project uses a ZigZag and a Feather stitch.
- Select a favorite placemat style you already own as a pattern; if it is larger than our 13"x18" mat, be sure to purchase additional fabric to compensate for the size difference.