Summer of Sewing: Iris Garden Placemat Tutorial

Welcome back for our second Summer of Sewing tutorial here at Inspired by Fabric! 

We'll be featuring regular tutorials as part of our Summer of Sewing series, all using our newest fabric lines that you can find at your local quilt shop! Our tutorials will include a chance to win a bundle of the fabric line being used, so make sure to enter each time! 

This week we're featuring Ro Gregg's beautiful floral line, Garden Rendezvous. This placemat design is so much fun to sew--measuring is optional! Adding tonal strips to a large piece of the focal iris print creates a trellis effect. We've even included instructions for making a simple pieced back so that these placemats can be reversible! Such pretty prints for a garden-themed summer table setting!

 Let's get started!
You'll Need:
(to make four placemats)
7/8 yard focal iris print
14 yard or fat quarter each of five coordinating tonals (we used purple, magenta, rose, yellow, and green)
5/8 yard lavender tonal
1/2 yard iris stripe (for optional pieced backing)
1 yard beige tonal (for optional pieced backing)
Thin batting (optional)

**If you opt not to piece the backing, you'll need 1 yard of backing fabric, which you'll cut into four 14" x 19" backing pieces 

Cutting: 
From the focal iris print: 
Four 13" x 15" pieces

From each of the five coordinating tonals:
Four 1-1/2" x 20" strips

From the lavender tonal: 
Eight 2" x 11" strips and eight 2" x 19" strips

Optional pieced backing: 
From the iris stripe:
Fussy-cut four 3-3/4" x 14-1/2" pieces, centering the stripe

From the remaining magenta tonal:
Four 1" x 14-1/2" strips

From the beige tonal:
Four 14-1/2" x 15-1/2" pieces

From the batting:
Four 14" x 19" pieces

Making the Placemat:
Note: You can make your cuts wherever you like on you focal iris piece; just stay at least 2" away from all four edges so you'll have room to trim when you've finished. We've included measurements for our cutting lines as a guide. 

1. Cut the focal iris pieced vertically 6" from the left edge. Sew a 1-1/2" x 20" magenta strip between the two pieces. Tip: To avoid fabric stretching, don't press until after you've sewn pieces to both sides of thin strip. 

2. Cut the focal iris piece horizontally 9" from the top edge. Sew a 1-1/2" x 20" green strip between the two pieces, making sure that the two magenta strips will align after you add the green strip. (Don't worry about extra strip length or about the outer edges of the iris focal piece not lining up exactly--we'll trim this when we're done.)

3. In the same way, add the purple strip after cutting the focal iris strip 4" from the right edge. 

4. Continued, adding the blue strip 6" down from the top edge. 

5. And finally, the yellow strip, 3" from the left edge. 

6. Trim the pieced unit to measure 16" wide x 11" tall. 
7. Sew 2" x 11" lavender tonal strips to the sides and press. Sew 2" x 19" lavender tonal strips to the top and bottom and press. Your placemat front is now complete.

8. To make the pieced back, sew the fussy-cut stripe strip, the 1" x 14-1/2" magenta strip, and the 14-1/2" x 15-1/2" beige tonal pieced together as shown. Trim to measure 14" x 19". 

9. Layer the batting piece, backing right side up and placemat top right side down. Pin around all four edges and sew around the edge with a 1/4" seam allowance, leaving a 6" opening for turning. Clip the corners, turn the placemat right side out and press. Press raw edges in and topstitch 1/8" from placemat edge to close the opening and create a finished edge. Add another line of stitching if desired. 
10. Repeat steps 1-9 to make three additional placemats. 

Finished front:

Finished back:

For a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of the Garden Rendezvous collection, make sure you follow us on the blog (options are in the right hand sidebar) and leave a comment letting us know you do, as well as telling us your favorite print from the Garden Rendezvous fabrics. Giveaway is open through Sunday, June 19 at 11:59 pm CST. We'll randomly draw a winner and announce it on the blog next week. Make sure we have a way to get in touch with you if you are selected as the winner!  This giveaway is now closed! 

Congratulations to the winner of the Happy bundle: Kira
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