Quilted Mailbox Placemats with One-Color Embroidery

This set of beautiful placemats features the designs from the Redwork Mailbox Set for the large hoop (5" x 7").

The finished size of the mats is about 15" x 29" .
We chose to make the mats in Autumn colors.

For the set of mats you will need about 1 1/2 yard of orange and about 1 yard of dark green cotton batiks, about 1/8 yard of white fabric.

You will also need batting, fabric for backing and orange medium size rick-rack.

For embroidery you will need light-weight cut-away stabilizer and embroidery threads.

For each mat, graph the orange batik into 4 squares measuring 7" x 7" (do not cut them out yet, you will do this after embroidery).

Out of the dark green fabric cut 2 strips measuring 4" x 26".

Out of white fabric, cut 2 strips measuring 1" x 6 1/2" and 2 strips measuring 1" x 26".

Cut the remaining orange fabric into strips 2 1/2" wide and the length of the width of the fabric. Use these strips for binding.

Working with one square at a time, stabilize the fabric and embroider a design from the Redwork Mailbox Set in the center of the square.
Embroider the designs in each of the four squares.
Cut away the excess stabilizer.
Cut out the squares. Trim them to 6 1/2" x 6 1/2".

Sew the squares with embroidery into a row.

Sew the white 1" x 6 1/2" strips to the left and right edges.

Sew the white 1" x 26" strips to the upper and lower edges of the working piece.

Sew the dark green strips to the upper and lower edges of the working piece.

Now place the backing/lining on a flat surface (table) face down. Cover with batting. Spread your working piece over it.

Pin all three layers together with 1" pins. We quilted around the embroidery and all over the mat in a free-motion style. Remove the pins while quilting.

Press the work with heavy steam and square the work -- all corners should be 90 degrees and opposite sides should be of the same length.

Cut the rick-rack into 6 strips, each 26" long. Position 3 strips on the upper border of the mat. Pin in place. Topstitch in place.

Position the remaining 3 strips on the lower border. Pin in place. Topstitch in place.

Finish the raw edges with binding.