Lots of Love Embroidered Placemat

To begin, prepare the fabric for the embroidered blocks. On the solid colored fabric, using an air-erase pen or other marking tool, draw a 5 inch by 5 inch square - leave a couple of inches of excess fabric around the shape. Then, measure and mark the center of each side of the square by measuring and dividing by two. Draw lines to connect the marks; where the lines meet is the exact center of the shape.

Create paper templates of the designs by printing them at full size using embroidery software. If you don't have embroidery software, you can cut a piece of paper the shape and dimensions of the design to help with placement and centering. If you'd like a recommendation for an embroidery program that can make templates, consider Embird from www.Embird.com .

Poke a hole in the center of the first design and align it with the center point on the fabric. Make sure the design fits well within the shape - there should be at least one inch of space between the edges of the design and the edges of the shape.

Remove the template and spray a piece of medium-weight or light-weight cutaway stabilizer (we used Floriani No-Show Mesh) with temporary adhesive and smooth the fabric on top. Hoop the fabric and stabilizer together by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. Attach the hoop to the machine and load the first design. Move the hoop so that the needle is aligned with the center point on the fabric. Embroider the design.

When the design has finished, use a straight edge and rotary cutter to cut out the shape (we did not trim the stabilizer on the back of the embroidery).

Repeat the fabric marking, hooping, and embroidering process for each embroidered block (we are embroidering three blocks).

Let's now prepare the fabric for the borders of the embroidered blocks. For each block, cut two pieces of print cotton 1 1/2 inches wide by 5 inches high (for the sides) and two pieces 7 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches high (for the top and bottom.

Align the side pieces on top of the sides of the block, right sides together. Pin in place, and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges only. We are using a "walking foot" attachment on our machine which helps prevent the layers of fabric from shifting as we sew.

Press the back seams open with an iron.

Align the top and bottom border pieces along the top and bottom edges of the block, right sides together. Pin in place, and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges. Then, press the back seams.

Repeat this process for each embroidered block (3 blocks total).

Next, we'll prepare the pattern piece for the heart blocks. Draw a 2 3/4 inch wide by 5 inch high rectangle on a piece of paper or tag board.

Then, measure and mark the rectangle as follows:

1. Mark 3/8 inch in from the
bottom right corner along the
bottom edge of the shape.

2. Mark 1 1/4 inch down from
the upper right corner along
the right edge.

3. Mark 1 1/4 inch in from the
upper right corner along the
top edge.

4. Mark 1 1/4 inch in from the
upper left corner along the top
edge.

5. Mark 1 1/4 inch down from
the upper left corner along the
left edge.

6. Finally, mark 1 1/2 inch
down from the previous mark
you made, along the left edge.

Next, draw lines to connect the marks as shown:

1. Connect the upper right
marks.

2. Connect the upper left
marks.

3. Connect the lower left mark
with the lower right corner
mark.

Cut out the shape.

Mark the pattern with an "L" (the way it was drawn and cut) to represent the left side of the heart shape. Mark the opposite side with an "R" for the right side of the heart.

To prepare the fabric for the heart blocks, trace the pattern onto the right side of the print cotton with the "L" facing up.

Cut out the shape.

For each heart block, cut two - 2 inch by 2 inch squares and one - 3 inch by 3 inch square from the print cotton.

Then, cut the squares in half diagonally from one corner to the opposite corner creating triangles. You will have six pieces total for each block: four small triangles and two large triangles.

To assemble the block, begin by aligning the long edge of one of the large triangles with the side angled edge of the half heart piece with right sides together.

Allow about 3/8 inch of the large triangle to extend past the edges of the heart piece. Pin in place, sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edge, and press the back seam.

Align the long edges of one of the small triangles with the upper right angled edge of the half heart piece with right sides together.

Allow about 3/8 inch of the ends of the triangle to extend past the edges of the heart piece. Pin in place, sew a 1/4 inch seam, and press.

Align another one of the small triangles with the upper left angled edge of the half heart with right sides together.

Allow about 3/8 inch of the ends of the triangle to extend past the edges of the heart piece. Pin in place, sew a 1/4 inch seam, and press.

Trace the right side of the pattern piece onto the print cotton and cut out the shape.

Assemble the right side of the heart piece exactly as you did the left side by adding one large triangle piece, then two small triangle pieces.

Once complete, trim off the corners of the triangles that extend past the outer edges of the half heart blocks.

Lay the left heart piece, right side facing up. Align the right heart piece on top with right sides together, with the seam aligned. Pin in place along the right side, sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edge, and press the seam.

Now, add a border to each block just as you did for the embroidered blocks: for each block, cut two pieces of print cotton 1 1/2 wide by 5 inches high (for the sides) and two pieces 6 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches high (for the top and bottom).

Repeat the fabric cutting and sewing process for each heart block (for a total of three blocks).

Now that all of the blocks are assembled, it is time to assemble the front panel. Align the top left block with the bottom right block, right sides together. Align the seams, and pin in place along the top edge. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edge only and press the back seam.

Repeat this process with the top and bottom center blocks and the top and bottom right blocks.

Lay the left blocks flat and align the center blocks on top with the right sides together. Align the seams and pin in place along the right side. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edge only. Press the seams.

Align the right blocks on top of the center blocks, right sides together, align the seams, pin in place, sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edge, and press the seams.

Prepare the fabric for the side borders by cutting two pieces of fabric 1 1/2 inches wide by 12 3/4 inches high. Align the border pieces with the side edges of the assembled front panel with right sides together. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges. Then, press the seams.

Prepare the fabric for the top and bottom borders by cutting two pieces of fabric 20 inches wide by 1 1/2 inches high. Align the top and bottom borders with the top and bottom edges of the assembled front panel with right sides together. Pin in place and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the pinned edges. Press the seams.

Now, prepare the fabric for the back of the placemat by laying the assembled front panel on top of the fabric. Pin in place and cut out the shape. Also, cut a piece of the batting the same as you did with the back fabric.

Lay the back fabric flat with the right side facing up. Align the front panel on top, right sides together. Align the batting piece on top of the front panel and pin all the layers in place. Sew a 1/4 inch seam along the top, bottom, and one side edge - leave the other side edge open for turning.

Turn the placemat right side out between the front and back panels (the batting will end up inside the placemat), and press the seams. Turn the fabric of the opening in 1/4 inch and press.

Hand-sew the opening closed with a needle and thread. 

With nylon monofilament in the needle and matching thread in the bobbin (thread that matches the back fabric) quilt through all the layers by stitching along the existing seams of the front panel - we stitched around the inner edges of the outer border and around the inner and outer edges of each block.

Your sweet placemat is now complete. Finish the set by stitching a couple more for the kitchen or use them to adorn other rooms in your home!