Easy Spring Placemats

I have finally gotten tired enough of the weather where I am now trying to do everything in my power TO FORCE SPRING UPON US. I'm tired of this cold weather, already. So I found some beautiful springy fabric, made up a super easy sewing pattern, and I ended up with 4 reversible cheerfully spring placemats for our table. Yay!

Easy Spring Placemats (makes 4 placemats)

Finished measurements: 15" x 15"
Seam Allowance: 1/2" (unless otherwise stated)

 materials
*pattern fabric A:  6" x 16" (x4)
*pattern fabric B: 6" x 16" (x4)
*solid-colored fabric: 6" x 16" (x16)
*2 coordinating colored threads

steps

1.  Always prewash fabric!

2. Cut fabric to sizes specified in materials list. Make sure all pieces are pressed.

3. Lay down fabric A and a solid color RS together. Sew down one long side. Press open.

4. Lay down solid-colored fabric piece on top of previously sewn fabric A RS together. Sew down the other long side. Press open.

5. Follow steps 3-4 again for fabric B and the solid-colored fabric. Now you have 2 square pieces of sewn fabric.

6. Lay them down RS together with one of them turned 90° (so the patterned fabrics form a cross on top of each other). Sew all the edges leaving 2-3" for turning inside out.

7. Clip all corners, turn placemat inside out and press.

8. This is where it gets fun! I chose a chartreuse thread to show on the blue side and a blue thread to show on the chartreuse side for some decorative flair. With that in mind, I sewed 1/4" all around the edge to finish off the seam.

NOTE: When I was sewing with the chartreuse fabric facing up in my sewing machine, I had the blue thread in the top of my machine, and the chartreuse thread in the bobbin (so it shows up on the underside with the blue fabric). 

9. To finish it up, I "stitched in the ditch" on both sides, which created a 3x3 grid on each side of the placemat.

NOTE: When I was sewing with the chartreuse fabric facing up in my sewing machine, I had the blue thread in the top of my machine, and the chartreuse thread in the bobbin (so it shows up on the underside with the blue fabric). This means when I flipped the placemat over to "stitch in the ditch" on the other side, I had to switch the thread colors in the machine so chartreuse was on the top of the machine and blue was in the bobbin.

And now spring is starting to show up a bit. It's even warmed up outside! I'll take credit for that. :) Come back later for instructions on making the lovely quilted table runner in the center with the scraps! Happy Crafting!