Saffrons Blog

Sometimes I have the urge to sew something quick and don't want to start a new, big project. So yesterday I decided to make up a few place mats to celebrate the beautiful spring wheather we're enjoying here in Sydney.

Thankfully this time I took a few pictures to share. :) 

Instead of having 6 identical mats I thought I'd experiment with plain and patterned fabrics, batting and no batting, machine and hand-quilting. Cause that's the way I work; hap-hazard, it's difficult for me to make the same thing twice, it's the designing, the playing I like most.

To start I put some fabrics together to see how they work as a composition.

For this place-mat I made the top first then quilted it onto the batting.

 
Once finished I trim away the batting.

For all the place mats I simply cut a matching back the same size.
For this one I didn't use batting between the 2 layers.

Once you have the top (place-mat) finished simply make a matching back exactly the same size. Pin the right sides of the fabric together. Then sew them together with a 1cm seam. Leave a small gap through which you pull the fabric turning  them the right side out.

Then the all important ironing and closing the gap with a few stitches.

I machine quilted this place mat in parallel lines. This has no batting.

I like the huge zigzag stitch my Pfaff can do. Really stands out on the black and grey.

For the batting I experimented with three types of batting, wool, bamboo and polyester. Polyester is nice and light. I also made a few with no batting which I quilted on the machine in parallel (ish) lines. The place-mats with no batting I like best.

Finally I whipped up some serviettes which are simply 30cm squares of fabric, ironed under and stitched to give them a nice edge.

Presto, within a couple of hours you have a whole new table setting for any occasion.

Now someone please make me some food...

Kate Conklin commented on 19-Sep-2011 09:05 PM

It's good to know that you like the one without batting the best. I never thought of not adding batting, but I might try this now. Your look lovely!

Roslyn Henley commented on 19-Sep-2011 03:31 PM

Can sew relate to the need to do everyone differently. I did that recently for our table and my hubby had a look of horror that they were all different. I told him I couldn't help myself. So much more exciting for the maker and the user! I like the unusual
colour combo too.

Anne Stanley commented on 19-Sep-2011 02:55 PM

Looks lovely and matches you bowls perfectly!