Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Christmas in July Blog Parade - Holiday Placemat Tutorial


Welcome to the Christmas in July 15 Pattern Parade.  

Here is super simple placemat and napkin pattern to make up using Fat Quarters for a quick gift or for your own Holiday table.   

Please leave a comment to be entered in a drawing to win a Fat Quarter pack of Christmas fabrics!





The placemat includes a pocket on one corner for a coordinating napkin.



By using a holiday Fat Quarter Bundle each placemat and napkin will be unique, but they will all coordinate, and look great on your table.




You will cut up each fat quarter into the various components, then mix and match the parts.  It is quilted with cross-hatching, then the pocket is added, and the whole thing is bound.  







Fabric and Supplies:

· For a set of 4 placemats and 4 napkins, you will need 20 FQ’s (if you want different fabrics for each place setting).  From those 20 FQ’s you will have sufficient remaining fabric to make additional placemats and napkins by recombining fabrics.

· 18” x 24” piece of thin batting for each placemat

· Basting Spray or safety pins

· Matching thread 

Cutting List: ( for ONE placemat)

· From your FQ bundle Select which fabrics you will use for the center squares, the accent side panels, the pockets, pocket trim, and binding.  Select a full FQ for the back of each placemat.  Label each FQ. 

· From main print FQ cut a 14” square (center of placemat)

· From accent FQ cut two 3 1/2” x 14” rectangles (side panels)

· From contrasting FQ cut a 10” square, sub

-cut once on the diagonal (pocket)

· From  contrasting FQ cut one 15" x 1-1/4” strip , Press in half lengthwise, wrong sides together (trim strip on the edge of the pocket)

· From contrasting FQ cut  80” of 2-1/4” strips for binding.  Join strips.  Press in half lengthwise, wrong sides together.

· From two different accent fabrics, cut a 14” square  (for lined napkins)


 Instructions:

1. Stitch a 3-1/2” x 14” accent strip to either side of the center 14” square.  Press toward the accent fabric.

2. Layer the placemat with batting and a FQ for backing.  Spray baste or pin layers together. 

3. Mark cross hatching on quilt top with washable  marker.  Quilt with matching thread.  Use a walking foot on your machine to keep the layers from shifting.

4. Trim placemat to remove excess batting and backing and to even up the edges.

5. Pin pressed 15" x 1-1/4” trim strip to the long side of one of the pocket triangles, right side together and raw edges matching.  Place second pocket triangle on top of first triangle, right sides together and pin along the long edge.  The trim strip will be between the two triangles.  Stitch along the long edge through all layers being careful not to stretch the bias edge of the triangles.

6. Press the two pocket triangles away from the trim strip.  Press the whole unit with starch or sizing to give it some extra body.  Trim the two short sides of the triangle with a large square ruler to even up the edges and make sure they are square.

7. Align the pocket triangle unit with lower left corner of the placemat.  Pin in place and baste 1/8” from the raw edge.

8. Open out one end of the prepared binding strip and fold the end over to form a 45 degree angle to the long edge.  Refold the binding strip in half and press.   Stitch the binding to the BACK of the placemat leaving the first 4” unstitched using a 1/4” seam.  Use matching thread for both the top and the back.  Use a walking foot to stitch down the binding and miter the corners.

9. When you get near the starting point, pin the loose 4” of binding in place and tuck the end of the binding between the two layers of those first 4”.  Trim off any excess binding. The two ends of the binding should only overlap about 2”.  Pin all layers in place aligning raw edges of the binding to the raw edge of quilt.  Finish stitching down the binding through all layers. 

10. Press the binding away from the back.  Turn placemat over and press the binding over the raw edge of the quilt FRONT.  Steam the fold as you press.  Miter the corners and press well. 

11.  Using a blind hem stitch and matching thread, stitch down the binding on the FRONT of the quilt. 

12.  Remove any quilting marks and press the placemat.


Now make the napkin.

· Use the two 14” squares you cut from two coordinating FQs.

· With right sides together stitch the  squares together on all four sides using a quarter inch seam allowance.  Leave a 5” opening to turn in the middle of one side.  You can use a serger for this if you have one.  Just be sure to leave the opening in the 4th side.

· Turn the napkin right sides out and carefully press the edges flat, trying not to get “foldy” puckers along the edges.  If you have a Seam Roll insert it inside the napkin, position it beneath the seam and press the seam flat.  You can make a seam roll by taking four FQ’s and folding them in quarters.  Stack them one atop the other and tightly roll them up.  Wrap a strip of cut off selvage around each end of the roll and pin the strips in place with a long pin.

· Remove the seam roll and finish pressing the edges.  Make sure you push out the four corners.  Fold under the 1/4” seam allowance in the opening and press, aligning the edges of the two sides of the napkin.

· With matching thread top stitch around the napkin on all four sides 1/8” from the edge.  Stitch a second row of stitches, just next to first row of stitching if desired.  Press the  napkin, fold, and insert into the napkin pocket on the placemat.

  Click Here to download the PDF pattern.

Thanks for taking a look at this project.


Be sure to visit all the other amazing Quilters to get their Christmas in July projects.

76 comments:

  1. Great placemats! Thanks so much for the pattern!

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  2. Now those place mats will make any table a fun festive Christmas.

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  3. Great holiday project! Thank you for participating in the Christmas in July Pattern Parade.

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  4. Merry Christmas (in July) and I think your place mats are beautiful and great. Thank you for your talents and generosity.

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  5. Those are really cute! I love the pocket you added for the napkin. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  6. I love the placemat pattern. I am going to start some today and finish before Christmas!! maryc76904 at yahoo dot com

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  7. What a great project, and sure to make a cheery Christmas table setting. Thank you for sharing!

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  8. Thank you for the pattern. The fabrics and combinations you used look wonderful, and it is so nice to get these things done in advance.

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  9. Thank you for sharing the placemat pattern. I really like the anged way you arranged the corner pocket.

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  10. I love this place mat pattern! I would love to sew these for Christmas gifts this year. Place mats are so useful. Plus, they would be unique when they are handmade. Thank you!

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  11. Thank you for sharing the placemat pattern!!!!!!!

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  12. How cute are these!? Thank you very much for the pattern, I plan on making some for my mother in law!

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  13. Love these placemats and the idea to use coordinating fat quarters for variety. Thank you for taking part in this blog hop.

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  14. Thanks for this nice pattern. Honestly can never have enough placemats around the holidays. They make great gifts too.

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    1. Mary, you are the winner of the Project Parade giveaway. I have a Seasons greetings Snack Pack of 42 2.5” strips for you. Please send me your contact info via email at reeze at MorningGloryDesigns dot com

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  15. Placemats are such a great idea and your design will be fun with all sorts of fabric themes. I think they will go on my gift giving list for all sorts of occasions. Thanks for sharing!

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  16. I love the pocket for the napkin!! Thank you so much for the pattern...Christmas presents this year!

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  17. Thank you for posting this tutorial! This will be ideal for use with my big Christmas floral fabric I didn’t want to cut into.

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  18. Thank you for sharing this tutorial.

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  19. This is a lovely idea. Thank you for sharing the tutorial

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  20. What a great project. Thank you so much for the tutorial. And thanks for the chance to win.

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  21. What lovely placemats! thanks for sharing.

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  22. love the pattern; especially the napkin pocket.

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  23. Very cute placemats! Thank you for sharing your time and talaents!

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  24. Thanks for the detailed Holiday placemat pattern.

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  25. what a great idea for Christmas table settings....thank you

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  26. Very cute placemats . Thank you for sharing your talent with us.l

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  27. Oh my goodness! How adorable is this! And what a fantastic idea for Christmas presents. I'm definitely making a set for my mother!

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  28. I love the pocket on this placemat! Will make some great gifts. Thank you.

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  29. I love making placemats, especially Christmas ones. I really like the napkin pocket on yours. Thank you for the pattern.

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  30. The placemats are lovely! And the corner pocket; what a great idea! These will make great gifts, thank you!

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  31. Love the placemats and thank you for the pattern. Your pattern is need.

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  32. Thank you for another awesome pattern.Will make some of these soon.

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  33. What fun Christmas placemats! Love these!

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  34. Such a great design and pattern! What fun it would be to have a set ready to go for every holiday. Hmmm...now I'm giving myself ideas! Thanks so much!

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  35. What a wonderful design. I absolutely love all the fabrics you used, now to find time to make some for me!

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  36. Cute placemats. Thanks for the pattern and the giveaway.

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  37. Thank you for the great placemat pattern and the Christmas in July blog parade. A lot of great patterns and a fun idea. I can't wait to get started!

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  38. This blog hop has been so much fun as I've discovered many new designer's web sites! Thank you and ya'll be safe!

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  39. Nice holiday placemats, I need to get cracking to make nine!!

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  40. These are a great idea, Reeze. Love the the suggestion to use a range of fabrics to mix them up. They look delightful. Great to join in the hop with you.

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  41. I love the placemats. I will need to make some new ones for Christmas.

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  42. These placemats look really cute, and handy. bestbelle2010@aol.com

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  43. need to make some!!! these are soo pretty

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  44. Thanks for the pattern - love your placemats.

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  45. I love the pocket! Thanks so much for the pattern!!

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  46. What cute placemats, I love the pocket idea.

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  47. Love the placemats! I recently made a few of my own design with some scraps I wanted to use up. Wish I had seen yours first, I like the pocket and the look all the different fabrics give them. Thanks for the pattern!

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  48. I like the idea of the matching napkin holder! These are so prtty.

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  49. So charming! Love all your work!

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  50. These will make nice gifts for extended family members! Thank you for the pattern!!

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  51. Wonderful patterns!! Thanks and thanks for a chance at the fat quarters--you made some beautiful placemat sets!!
    barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

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  52. Oh, I love your corner pocket for the napkin! Very pretty and useful! xx

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  53. This is so fun! Love your placemats with pocket and thank you for the pattern!

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  54. Thank you for joining the hop and inviting us for a visit. I've often thought of making Christmas-themed placemats but it's something I just don't seem to get around to doing. I love yours!

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  55. Love the placemats. So Christmasy!

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  56. Thank you for place mat pattern Love the corner pocket and sharing the hop. I had fun seeing all the ideas.

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  57. Thanks Reeze for the cute placemat project!

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  58. I like seasonal placemats. Thanks for instructions.

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  59. If you wanted them all the same fabric how would you change the materials list?

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  60. Thanks very much for the placemat tutorial, and I like the napkin pocket!

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  61. Reeze,
    Love the style of these placemats! Thanks for a chance to win some Christmas fat quarters!

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  62. Thank you for another wonderful pattern Reeze. I love your appliqués

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  63. Thank you for your cute project! Looking forward to making Christmas gifts this year and this is perfect!

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  64. I love your design. Super cute and many possibilities. Thank you

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  65. Thank you for the .pdf version, but really thank you for such a creative way to use all the parts of a FQ to make these.

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  66. Thank you for sharing your talents with us; love your placemats! I need to finish some for my granddaughter for Christmas this year.

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  67. Great placemats! I can see using up some of my Christmas prints for these.

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  68. These are wonderful, thank you sew much for sharing.
    Merry Christmas.

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  69. Thank you for pattern. Merry early Christmas to you.

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  70. I'm late to the table, but I wanted to thank you for this patern and the idea as well

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I'd love to know what you think! Thanks for sharing your ideas.