How to sew a simple placemat and coaster set

Practise your binding and freshen up your dining table with these easy-sew table settings. We'll show you how to make them, step-by-step

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Sarah Griffiths

Published: February 3, 2019 at 10:14 am

This beginners sewing project is a quick and easy way to practise basic sewing, quilting and binding skills. Make the border of your project really stand out with a bright and bold binding fabric.

You will need...

To make one coaster and one placemat:

  • Coaster fabric nine (9) 2in squares
  • Placemat fabric nine (9) 2½in squares
  • Background fabric one (1) fat quarter
  • Backing fabric one (1) fat quarter
  • Binding fabric one (1) fat quarter
  • Batting 18in x 22in

Finished Size

Coaster: 4½in square approx Placemat: 14in x 16in approx

Notes

Seam allowances are ¼in throughout, unless otherwise noted Solid fabrics: we've used Kona Solids in Goldfish and Pool.

Step 1

From the background fabric cut one (1) 8½in x 6½in piece and one (1) 10½in x 14½in piece.

 

Step 2

Sew your 2½in squares together in three rows of three. Then sew the rows together to form a square.

Step 3

Sew the 8½in x 6½in background fabric to one edge of the square. Sew the remaining background piece to the 14½in edge (Fig 1). This forms your placemat top.

How to bind a quilt double fold binding diagram
Piecing the mat… Use bold fabrics from your stash for the pieced square

Step 4

Sew your 2in squares together in three rows of three. Then sew the rows together to form a square. This will form your coaster.

Step 5

Layer your backing fabric (right side down) and batting with the placemat and coaster on top (right side up) to make a quilt sandwich and quilt as desired. Trim away excess batting and backing.

Step 6

Cut seven (7) 2½in x 22in strips of fabric for the binding and join into one length using diagonal seams. Fold in half lengthways, wrong sides together, to form the double-fold binding. If you want to use different colours, cut two strips for the coaster and five strips for the placemat.

Step 7

Bind the edges of each piece, following your preferred method – for more detail on this, check out our How to bind a quilt with double-fold binding tutorial.

Since these are small pieces, it’s a great way to experiment with different techniques. Why not try different methods for each coaster or placemat to find the combination you like best!

 

How to bind a quilt tutorial

Sarah Griffiths

Senior Technical Editor, Love Patchwork & Quilting magazine

Sarah is our resident tech-expert, as at home whipping up quilt samples as she is tackling complex quilt-math with the aid of her trusty calculator, so she’s an essential part of Love Patchwork & Quilting team! She’s got a fabric stash that any quilter would envy (and yes, it’s a stash – not a hoard!) and an almost indecent number of projects on the go at any one time. She’ll often bring finished projects into work and wow the team with her sewing skills. Sarah’s our in-house American, originally from Ohio, she loves a good cup of tea (spearmint’s her favourite) and comes from a long tradition of family quilters. Find her on Instagram @spindleandshears
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