May 27, 2011
sewing, serger
beginner

Serger-Made Patriotic Placemats

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Looking to add a patriotic pop of color to your dining room table? Liven up your table this Fourth of July with festive red and blue placemats and napkins featuring the Baby Lock serger wave stitch in metallic thread. Download printable instructions.

Materials:

  • 1 yard red print fabric
  • 1 yard blue star fabric
  • 1 yard blue solid fabric
  • ½ yard fusible interfacing
  • 1/2 yard of 45” wide fusible fleece
  • 2 cones red serger thread
  • 1 spool red metallic thread
  • 2 cones blue serger thread
  • 1 spool silver metallic thread
  • All-purpose thread to match the blue star fabric
  • Scissors
  • Pins
  • Iron and ironing board (or pin-able ironing mat)
  • Pressing cloth
  • Rotary cutter mat and ruler

Tools:

  • Baby Lock Sewing Machine
  • Baby Lock Serger

Steps:

  1. Cut two rectangles 19” x 13” from both the fusible fleece and the blue star fabric. These pieces become the back of the placemats.

  2. Cut two 10” x 13” pieces from the blue star fabric for the placemat front.

  3. Cut two 18” squares from the red fabric for the napkins.

  4. Cut two 18” squares from the blue fabric for the napkins.

  5. Cut four strips 1 ½” x width of the fabric from the blue fabric.

  6. Cut five strips 1 ½” x width of the fabric from the red fabric.

  7. Cut a piece approximately 21” x 14”from the fusible interfacing.

  8. Set-up the Baby Lock Enlighten for a 3-thread narrow wave stitch. Thread it with the red thread and red metallic in the loopers.

  9. Serge both long edges on the red strips.

  10. Change the thread to blue with the silver metallic in the upper looper.

  11. Serge both the long sides of the blue strips.

  12. Serge only one of the 13” sides on each of the 10” x 13” blue star pieces. Set this aside.

  13. Place one of the red napkin squares to one of the blue napkin squares wrong sides together.

    1. Align the edges and serge a wave stitch around all four sides finishing the edges and seaming the pieces together at one time.

  14. Repeat this process for the other red and blue double-sided napkin.

  15. At the ironing board. Iron the fusible fleece to the wrong side of the 19” x 13” blue star fabric piece. Repeat for the second placemat. Set the back pieces aside.

  16. Lay the fusible interfacing fusible side up onto a pin-able pressing surface.

  17. Starting with the red strips take one of the strips and lay it onto the fusible web covering the full width.

    1. Cut the strip as needed to create another row right next to the first. Continue positioning rows side by side using strips as needed.

    2. Pin to hold the ends of the rows. Do not leave space between the strips.

    3. Note: Do not iron (fuse) until all the weaving is complete.

  18. When the rows are complete weave the blue strips in and out of the rows in the opposite direction. Pin to hold the ends of the rows. Do not leave space between the strips.

  19. Once the weaving is complete cover with a pressing cloth and fuse the strips in place.

  20. From the newly created woven fabric cut two pieces 9 1/2” x 13”.

  21. Thread the sewing machine with the blue all-purpose thread.

  22. Take one woven piece and one of the small blue star pieces.

    1. Lay the wave stitched edge of the blue star piece over the top of the edge of the woven piece so that it over laps ¼”.

    2. Using a straight stitch sew the pieces together creating a center seam and joining the pieces to form the placemat top. Repeat for the other placemat top.

  23. Place one placemat top and one placemat back piece together with wrong sides facing.

    1. Serge the wave stitch around the four sides finishing the edges and joining the pieces together in one application.

    2. Note: engage the cutter on the serger so it can trim either piece slightly if needed to ensure a clean edge. Repeat this to create the other placemat.

  24. Using the sewing machine add quilting patterns or additional stitches to the blue star section if desired.

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