Santa's Embroidered Snack Station

Delight Jolly Ol' St. Nick on Christmas Eve by leaving his treats on a personalized placemat.

Children will love preparing Santa's snack and leaving him this treat. Tuck a note and treat into an embellished pocket, and rest a cup of milk on an appliqued coaster!

Supplies & Materials:

Project Materials or Supplies
- 22 x 16 inch top fabric
- 22 x 16 inch bottom fabric
- Two 8 1/2 x 8 1/2 inch pieces of fabric for pockets
- Cut-away stabilizer
- Spray adhesive
- Air-erase pen
- Paper
- 9 inch plate

The designs used in this tutorial include:

- C2061, Jolly Old St. Nick

- C2062, Teddy Bear

- C2075, Holly Sprig

- C2076, Candy Cane

- Y1820, Circle (Applique)

- X2638, A Curlz Alphabet Design Pack

Gather Materials:

First, determine the plate size you'd like to use. We used a 9 inch plate with with a 22 x 16 inch placemat. We chose a sturdy duck cloth for our top fabric.

If you are using a different size plate, you may want to enlarge or reduce the placemat size, accordingly. For example, if you are using a 11 inch plate, add 2 inches to each dimension -- making a 24 x 18 inch placemat.

White plate with a simple green Christmas tree and red text "To the Tree" centered on a red fabric placemat on a brown wood table.

Next, make a pattern for the pockets. On paper, draw a 4 1/2 inch line for the top. Draw two 4 inch lines extending down on each side from the top line.

Hand holding blue pencil draws a rectangular shape on white paper using a black metal ruler on a dark wood surface.

Find the center of the top line by measuring and dividing by two. Measure and mark 5 inches down from the center.

Hand holding pencil with a metal ruler, drawing a rectangular shape on white paper placed on a dark wood grain surface.

Connect the end of each side line to the bottom mark in the center, creating a "V" shape for the bottom of the pocket.

Hand holding blue pen drawing a pentagon shape on white paper, with a clear Westcott ruler on a dark wood surface.

Measure 3/8 inch around the outside of the entire shape and draw lines connecting the marks. This is the seam allowance for the pocket.

Hand drawing a pentagon shape with a pencil and clear ruler on white paper, placed on a dark wood surface.

Find the center of the entire pocket pattern by drawing a line from the top center mark to the center of the "V" shape bottom.

Measure between the side lines and divide by two. Draw a line between these marks as well. Where the two lines meet is the center of the pocket.

Hand drawing a pentagon shape on white paper using a blue pencil and a Westcott metal ruler on a wooden surface.

Cut out the pattern.

Paper with a shield-like design outlined in blue ink lying on a dark wood surface; a pair of orange-handled scissors rests nearby.

Lay the pocket fabric right side up. Place the pocket pattern on top. Trace the shape and mark the horizontal and vertical axis lines of the pattern on to the fabric.

Hand drawing a geometric pattern with four internal sections on white fabric using a blue marker, on a dark wood surface.

Remove the pattern and draw lines connecting the axis marks. These lines will be used for design placement and hooping.

Use embroidery software to print a paper template of the design at full size. Trim around the template to make it fit easily within the pocket.

Poke a hole in the center of the template and align it with the center point on the fabric. Align the vertical axis line on the template with the vertical line on the fabric.

We are "eyeballing" the design a little bit above the exact center of the pocket to better fill the space.

Mark the center point of the design onto the fabric.

Hand tracing an image of Santa Claus onto white fabric using a blue Disappearing Ink fabric marker, with pre-drawn outline shapes around the Santa image.

Remove the template. Spray a piece of cut-away stabilizer with adhesive and hoop it with the fabric.

Hoop the fabric by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric. You may need to extend the lines on the fabric to meet the edge of your hoop.

Gray embroidery hoop secures white fabric marked with purple registration lines in cross and angled shapes, on a dark wood surface.

Start Embroidering:

Add the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric and embroider the design.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a red and white Santa Claus design on white fabric hooped in an embroidery frame.

Repeat the marking, hooping and embroidering steps to create two pockets.

We added text to one of our pocket designs. To see how to merge letters to form words, click here.

After both pockets are embroidered, cut out the shapes. We left the stabilizer on the back of the fabric to make it more rigid. You may trim away the excess if you like.

Piece of white fabric with an embroidered brown teddy bear and green text "Wish List," marked with purple lines for cutting, next to orange-handled scissors on a wooden surface.

Now design the layout of the placemat. Lay top fabric right side up. Place the embroidered pockets, the plate and paper templates of more designs on the top fabric.

Arrange all the pieces where you want them. Allow about an inch margin all the way around the edge of the fabric.

Red placemat with a decorative plate featuring a stitched green Christmas tree, surrounded by five embroidered fabric squares with holiday motifs.

Poke a hole in the center of the templates and mark it on the fabric. Mark the horizontal and vertical axis lines as well.

The coaster is an applique design and we added text. Merge the designs together like you did the pocket design. You can sew the circle applique design without text if you wish. Click here for instructions for applique embroidery.

Hand writing on a white card with a grey-stitched circle and the embroidered words "Thanks Santa!" divided by four pencil-drawn lines on a red background.

Remove the template and draw lines connecting the marks

Hand tracing a straight line on red fabric with a blue marker, using a metal Westcott ruler on a wooden surface.

Spray a piece of cutaway stabilizer with adhesive and hoop it with the fabric by aligning the marks on the hoop with the lines on the fabric.

Add the hoop to the machine, load the design, align the needle directly over the center point on the fabric and embroider the design. Trim the excess stabilizer when it is finished.

Repeat these steps for all of the designs you choose to embroider on the placemat.

Square white embroidery hoop placed on red fabric with two intersecting pencil lines forming a cross inside the hoop, on a wooden surface.

To assemble the pockets, fold the top over 3/8 inch and sew a 1/4 inch hem. Only hem the top of the pockets at this point.

Close-up of a sewing machine embroidering a red outline design of a cartoon-style Santa Claus on white fabric under the needle.

Lay the top fabric right side up. Position the pockets on top and pin them in place. Fold the side and bottom edges over 3/8 inch and sew a 1/4 inch hem around the side and bottom edges only.