Place Mat - Quilted Team USA Appliqué Project

Make a Place Mat to Show Your Patriotic Pride

Make this place mat to prep for July 4 entertaining, decorating for the summer Olympics and more. This project features piecing, appliqué quilting and sparkly binding. Choose one or all of the techniques to make this place mat your own. Create a set that matches or several slightly different variations for your festive place setting.

Finished place mat measures 12” x 16 ¾”. Supplies are enough for one place mat.

SUPPLIES

Patriotic Pride Thread Palette for Quilting (6 snap spools of Sulky 50 wt. Cotton Thread)
Fusible Web
Organ® size 70/10 Universal Needle
Sulky KK 2000™ Temporary Spray Adhesive
(3) 5” charm squares (the featured place mat used 4 charm squares for the piecing, with two HSTs leftover; prints shown are from the Celebrate America Charm Pack by Riley Blake)
12” x 12 ½” rectangle of coordinating fabric (front)
14” X 18” rectangle each of batting & coordinating fabric (backing)
Assorted coordinating fabric scraps (for appliqués)
Purchased or pre-made double-fold bias or straight-grain binding (approx. 60”)
Non-stick Pressing Sheet (optional)
Daylight Wafer 2 Light Box (optional; for tracing appliqués)

PLACE MAT PIECING

Cut each charm square in half diagonally to create 6 HSTs (half-square triangles).

Audition the triangles into a pleasing arrangement to create a pieced panel consisting of two HSTs by three HSTs. If using a directional print, make sure the prints are facing the same direction when piecing.

To begin, stitch two HSTs together along the long diagonal edge.

Press the seam toward the darker fabric.

Once three squares are stitched, stitch them together along the upper and lower edges, with right sides together. Press the seams downward.

Stitch the pieced panel to one short edge of the front fabric rectangle, keeping in mind the fabric print direction if applicable. Press the seam toward the pieced panel.

PLACE MAT APPLIQUÉ

Grab the Sulky Stars printable and decide which style and size(s) of star to appliqué to the place mat front. Print the appliqué template pages you need.

Fuse the fusible web to the chosen fabric scraps, making sure the fabrics are large enough for the chosen star(s). Use a non-stick pressing sheet, if desired, to avoid transferring fusible to the iron surface.

Trace the desired star(s) onto the paper side of the fusible web. (Use a light box to trace, if desired.)

Cut out each appliqué. Remove the paper backing to expose the fusible adhesive.

Audition the stars right side up on the place mat front, making sure the edges are within the binding allowance. (The featured star edges were placed 1 ¼” from the fabric edge.)

Place stars along the upper right corner and lower left corner of the front rectangle, or just the upper right corner per the finished sample.

TIP: Try layering stars to create fun appliqués.

Once the arrangement is to your liking, fuse the star(s) right side up onto the place mat front, using a press cloth if desired to ensure no fusible transfers to the iron surface.

PLACE MAT QUILT SANDWICH

Place the place-mat backing wrong side up on a flat work surface. Spray the wrong side with KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive.

Position the batting over the backing. Smooth the batting down using your hand, securing it to the backing fabric.

Center the pieced front over the batting, using more KK 2000 to secure.

TIP: Spray the fabrics, rather than the batting, with KK 2000 Temporary Spray Adhesive so it doesn’t absorb too quickly into the batting.

QUILTING

Install a size 70/10 Organ® Universal Needle.

Choose a thread color from the Patriotic Pride Thread Palette for Quilting. Wind a bobbin and thread the needle with the same (or coordinating) thread color.

Set the machine for a 2.5mm straight stitch. Stitch 1/8” inside each appliqué shape. Stitch again, following the previous stitching but wavering a bit for a “sketchy” look.

Echo quilt the front, following each appliqué shape and placing each quilting line ¼” apart. Keep the quilting away from the pieced panel.

Once the echo quilting is complete, quilt in the ditch of each pieced panel seam. (If you have a laser light function on your sewing machine, it’s super helpful for quilting in the ditch!)