Placemats for Island Batik
The Island Batik Ambassador Challenge for January 2021 begins my fourth year of creating and designing with this exceptional fabric. I took a bit of artistic license with the guidelines that suggested a set of placemats that measure 12” X 18”.
Island Batik along with their industry partners, Hobbs Batting, Schmetz Needles and Aurifil Thread provided the batik fabric, batting, sewing machine needles and thread used in this project for my role as an Island Batik Ambassador.
Island Batik Painted Blossoms designed by Kathy Engle for Kate Colleran of Seams Like a Dream Quilt is the perfect collection for colorful placemats. I’ve selected thirteen fabrics from the 10” precut package which will be in quilt shops in February, 2021. The design for these mats will incorporate quilting techniques I rarely use such as quilting on my domestic machine, pillowcases edges and specialty machine stitches.
Photo 1. shows cutting 24 wedges from twelve different ten inch squares of Island Batik Painted Blossom for the 16” mats. I created the pattern on plain printer paper then sprayed it with Odif 808 Reactivating Adhesive. This gives plain paper the characteristics of freezer paper so it can be pressed on then removed from fabric multiple times. Accurate cuts around the outside are then made with my Olfa rotary cutter and Creative Grids Itty Bitty Eights Ruler. 2.) Chain piecing wedges of first two placemats.
Two 16”, two 12” and two 7-1/2” circular blocks are in various stages of completion. Middle size is cut stitched and have seams pressed open. Use of Strip Stick helps open seams for pressing while not disturbing adjacent seams. Large blocks are stitched and ready to press while smaller ones are in the bull pen.
The curved outside edge on traditional Dresden Plate blocks used a hand turned appliqué to stitch them to the background. The stand alone nature of these placemats require a machine stitched edge. 1. Bigger Perfect Circle templates from Karen Kay Buckley provide the exact size needed to create the circular outside edge. 2. Stitching line is marked on the wrong side using the circle template and Pigma Micron pen.
Placemat pairs, created in three sizes, have been layered right sides together with 1.) Eggplant Mini Dot from the Sundance collection. The layered fabrics are placed on top of 2.) Hobbs Heirloom® Premium 80/20 batting before stitching the curved edges. 3.) Seam allowance is trimmed and and clipped. 4.) The center opening is used to turn right side out.
Placemat mats have been turned right side out through the opening in the center. Quilting is completed after the outside edges are finished using this ‘pillowcasing’ technique. 1. Quilting with cream Aurifil thread on my Bernina 770 QE with quarter inch walking foot and Schmetz needle. 2. Placemat back with Island Batik Eggplant Mini Dot and black Aurifil thread.
Covering the center opening is the final step on the placemats. 1. Misty Fuse webbing was bonded to the back of Island Batik before cutting perfect circles with a die. Aurifil thread was selected for stitching. 2. A three step blankets stitch on my Bernina 770 really makes the stitching pop.
Here are the six finished placemats in three sizes. Two 16”, two 12” and two 7-1/2” mats were created using thirteen 10” squares. This is a great project to use squares leftover from another project.
The Painted Blossom Island Batik is a perfect complement to our antique oak table set with hand thrown Thistleware dishes from Scotland.
