Have you ever been taunted by a fabric?
It happens to me occasionally at my local quilt shop. I walk in and a fabric calls my name. Now, usually I know immediately what I would make with that fabric. You could call it a gift, I suppose, but it’s also a bit of a curse because it’s exactly how I became the keeper of a Fuji-esque mountain of unfinished projects. Now and again, however, a fabric stumps me. It may not be the first bolt I see on subsequent visits, but I know it’s there, and sooner or later it catches my eye, daring me to take it home and make something of it.
This is my latest antagonist:
“Big Stripe” by Michael Miller Fabrics
It looks like your Grandma’s a patio awning, doesn’t it? (Not that that’s a bad thing.)
It’s taunted me long enough. I have turned it into a summery set of picnic placemats!
This pattern will work with any striped fabric, provided the stripes run lengthwise.
1-3/4 yards of the striped fabric will yield 8 placemats and a tablerunner, or 10 placemats.You will also need 3-1/2 yards of a coordinating fabric (I used solid white) for the backs and bindings. You will need a 60° triangle ruler. I used the Marti Michel ruler, but any brand will work as long as you can cut an 8″ tall triangle.
Step 1: Cut five 8″ strips lengthwise (parallel to the selvedge).
Step 2: Line up the 8-1/2″ baseline of the triangle ruler with the bottom edge of a fabric strip and cut the triangle from the strip.
Step 3: Rotate the ruler and line up the 8-1/2″ baseline with the top edge of the strip. Cut the triangle from the strip.
Step 4: Repeat steps 2 and 3, working your way down the strip until you have two sets of six triangles. Note: Right-handed cutters start at the left end of the strip and work to the right. Left-handed cutters start at the right end of the strip and work to the left.
Step 5: Sew two matching triangles together, and add a third triangle to make a half-hexagon. Make another one just like it.
Step 6: Sew the two hexagon halves together to complete your placemat top. How easy was that?
Each strip of fabric will yield two placemats.
Step 7: Cut one fat quarter (18″ x 22″) from your coordinating fabric for each placemat. Cut a piece of batting the same size. I prefer a flat batting for placemats and tablerunners…I like Fusible Fleece, Quilter’s Dream or Cotton Theory.
Step 8: Quilt as desired. I just machine quilted along the stripes.
Step 9: Cut two 2-1/4″ x width of fabric strips of coordinating fabric for binding each placemat. (obviously, I still have some work to do!)
Do I smell Barbeque?
Seams Like a Plan 