Hey Everyone, welcome back to Technique Tuesday and Stash Blasting Wednesday together.

I survived the Creativfestival weekend so it is now back to business as usual. Although I do have to start thinking about getting ready for the fall show which is October 24-26 because it will be here before I know it.

At this past show I did a presentation on Stitch & Flip: Design As You Go which was very popular and well subscribed. I demonstrated the technique with a very simple placemat.

Gathering the Pieces

The fabrics used

For this piece I used 3 – 2 ½″ strips from a jelly roll (to be called print in the instructions) and then added in a solid colour (to be called green in the instructions) which coordinated with the jelly roll fabric.

For each placemat I used 9 – 2 ½″ squares from the jelly roll strips and 9 – 2 ½″ squares from the solid colour. Note: 3 WOF strips will yield enough for 4 placemats 13 ½″ x 18″ in size.

From the solid colour also cut 9 – 2 ½″ x 9 ½″ strips.

A piece of fabric for the back cut at 14 ½″ x 20 ½″.

A piece of low loft batting such as cotton cut at 14 ½″ x 20 ½″.

Making the Strips

All the strips are made first with ¼″ seams.

Step 1

Sew a green 2 ½″ square to a print 2 ½″ square. Make 9 pairs for one placemat. Press the seams towards the green with an iron or a finger presser from Clover.

Green squares & prints squares sewn together

Step 2

Sew a green 2 ½″ x 9 ½″ strip to the units made in step 1.  Alternate sewing them to a print and green piece. Press the seams towards the green.

9 ½″ green strip sewn to square pairs

Making the Placemat

All seams are a ¼″. When sewing strips to the background I sew one strip in one direction and the next one in the opposite. This helps to maintain the squareness of the piece and to eliminate puckering or waves on the back.

Step 1

Layer the batting on top of the backing. You may wish to spray baste. I do not baste at all and do not find that this small of a piece shifts.

Step 2

Draw a line a ½″ from the top of the piece with a fabric marker. I use the Trace ‘n Mark Air Erase Pen from Clover. This line will allow you to keep everything lined up straight.

Line drawn a ½″ from top

Step 3

Place the first strip right side up on the left hand side of the batting about an inch from the edge and lined up on the marked line at the top of the batting.

First strip in place

Step 4

Place the second piece on top of the first strip with right sides together. Pin if you wish. I use my forked pins to pin the seams together to ensure precise matching.

Pin second strip to first strip

Close up of forked pins at seams

Step 5

Sew the strips together – use a walking foot or dual feed foot for this as you are sewing through 3 layers.

Strips sewn together

Step 6

Press the seam towards the piece just added.

Press seam

Step 7

Add another strip to the piece just sewn in place. Use the same method as step 5.

3 strips in place

Step 8

Continue sewing strips in place until all 9 have been attached.

Placemat complete with 9 strips

Step 9

Trim excess batting and backing and bind with your favourite method.

Excess batting & backing trimmed

This method of quilting lends itself to quick and easy projects that are quilted when the last piece is sewn in place. Extra quilting and embellishing can be added.

To mix things up the print squares could have been placed in the centre of the placemat rather than at the edge or scattered throughout.

Anything goes, so have fun.

Happy Quilting!