Sew in Love {with Fabric}: Christmas in July: Blog Hop Day 1

It's the middle of July...the sun is shining...flowers are blooming...

So of course it's the perfect time to start planning for Christmas!

We've shared all of our holiday fabric collections, and now we're moving on to the blog hop! Over the next four days, we'll be sharing tutorials using our fabrics. If you like what you see, the fabrics are available in stores now, so you can get started on your favorite featured project now and be done before the holiday rush begins!

Crank up the air conditioning, pull out your wool hat, and enjoy our Christmas in July series!

Today Lisa from Love to Color My World is sharing a tutorial for whimsical Christmas placemats using Cherry Guidry's Mulberry Lane collection.

The placemat features larger pieces of two focal prints, plus a paper pieced wonky Christmas tree. Enjoy the tutorial and keep reading to find out how you can win a bundle of Mulberry Lane for yourself!

Here's Lisa:

There's so much detail in these prints that I wanted to show off large pieces in the placemat design. I also chose to make a wonky Christmas tree using paper piecing because I felt it echoed the whimsy of the fabrics. I love these fabrics!

Materials:

(to make 4 placemats)

1/2 yard aqua tonal

1/3 yard lime print

1/3 yard green print

5/8 yard red dot

1/2 yard street stripe*

5/8 yard circle print*

7/8 yard backing fabric*

(4) 2" squares of fusible web

(4) 14" x 20" batting pieces

*directional fabric; refer to project photos while cutting

Cutting:

From the aqua tonal:

(2) 4-1/2" x 42" strips (for paper piecing)

(2) 1-1/2" x 42" strips; cut into (4) 1-1/2" x 6-1/2" pieces and (8) 1-1/2" x 3" pieces

From the lime print:

(2) 4-1/2" x 42" strips (for paper piecing)

From the green print:

(2) 4-1/2" x 42" strips (for paper piecing)

From the red dot:

(6) 2-1/4" x 42" strips (for binding)

(1) 1-1/2" x 42" strips; cut into (4) 1-1/2" squares

(3) 1-1/4" x 42" strips; cut into (8) 1-1/4" x 12-1/2" lengths (for flange)

Reserve remainder for applique

From the street stripe:

(1) 12-1/2" x 42" strip; cut into (4) 4-1/2" x 12-1/2" pieces so stripe runs horizontally

From the circle print:

(2) 8-1/2" x 42" strips; cut into (4) 8-1/2" x 12-1/2" pieces so circles run horizontally

From the backing fabric:

(2) 14" x 42" strips; cut into (4) 14" x 20" pieces

Make the Placemats:

Note: Click here to download the paper piecing and applique patterns. This tutorial assumes basic knowledge of paper piecing. Use the strips listed in the cutting directions for paper piecing.

1. Cut apart the paper piecing patterns into four separate pieces: A, B, C, and D. Note: When you're paper piecing, make sure the fabric extends at least 1/4" beyond each paper pattern on all sides. You'll need 1/4" on each side for the seam allowance as you assemble the tree unit.

2. Paper piece the A section, using the lime print for piece #1 and aqua for the #2 and #3 pieces. Trim sides of section A to 1/4" past the edge of the paper (for seam allowance).

3. Repeat with sections B, C and D. Sew the units together in alphabetical order, matching raw edges. Remove the paper.

Here's what your tree should look like:

4. Sew 1-1/2" x 3" aqua tonal pieces to opposite sides of a 1-1/4" red dot square to make the tree base. Sew the base to the bottom of the tree and sew a 1-1/2" x 6-1/2" aqua tonal piece to the top. Your tree unit should measure 6-1/2" x 12-1/2".

5. Press (2) 1-1/4" x 12-1/2" red dot strip wrong sides together lengthwise to create (2) flange pieces. Lay a folded strip on a circle print piece as shown, matching raw edges. Pin to secure.

6. Sew a 4-1/2" x 12-1/2" street stripe piece to the bottom edge of the circle print piece, securing the flange at the same time. Press flange up.

7. Position the second flange along the left edge of the pieced unit with raw edges matching and pin in place.

8. Sew the tree unit to the left side and press the flange away from the tree.

9. Layer a backing piece right side down, batting piece, and placemat right side up. Quilt as desired.

10. Trace the star shape onto the paper side of fusible web. Fuse onto red dot fabric and cut out along the drawn line. Fuse the star to the top of the tree. Blanket stitch to secure.