Plaid Table Mat Embroidery Project

Read through the instructions thoroughly before beginning and assemble all the materials needed to complete the project. Press the black fabric pieces well. Load the design on the machine, rotating if necessary. If your machine doesn’t already do it, set a stop after the first color for the fabric to be laid down. The black cotton fabric forms the base for the “plaid”—the plaid pattern is created by the stitching!

Firmly hoop the cutaway stabilizer. Stitch Color 1, the placement line.

Center the smaller piece of black cotton over the placement line and stitch Color 2 to tack it down. Stitch this in a light color such as white or ivory so it will be visible for the final assembly.

Now just continue stitching the colors in the sequence stated. The last color should also be stitched in white or ivory because it will be used as a guide for aligning the panel pieces together.

Remove the piece from the hoop and cut close to the outer white stitching line. Repeat the steps to do three more panels. Align the panels as shown. The upper left should be a full cross hatch of a red square.

Stitch the panels together. With right sides together, place the second panel over the first matching cut edges. Using the last white line as a guide for aligning the long edges of the panel, place pins at corresponding matching points.

It is easiest to match if the panel is turned sideways. Continue placing pins at each of the intersecting colors. You’ll use a lot of pins, but it is worth the trouble of doing all the pinning so everything aligns. By doing this, the sewn seam is practically invisible.

First, baste the seam, removing pins as you go. You’ll be able to see the back side of the white stitching line. Sew the seam so the needle is just to the left of that line, very carefully removing the pins as you go. Open up the pieces and check the alignment. If there is anything not lined up, remove the basting stitches in that area and re-baste. When everything is satisfactory, then sew the seam with a 2.5mm stitch right over the basting line.

Press the seam flat to set the stitches and then press the seam open.

If you have one, use a clapper to make the seam nice and flat. Press the seam from the front (use a press cloth if there isn’t a Teflon shoe on the iron) and use the clapper to make sure it is flat.

This completes the first two sections. Now place panel three over four, match and pin, baste, check then sew the seam; press. The final seam is down the middle pinning and matching the two sections together. Baste, sew, and press the seam. The panels, when sewn and pressed, should look like a continuous piece of plaid fabric.

Lay the larger piece of black fabric on the table and then place the “plaid” right side down on top of it and pin the pieces together at the long edges. When sewing the two pieces together, the inner white thread at the top, bottom, and outer edges will be used as a guide for stitching like before—the pins show the top and side intersection of this thread line. Sew the two long edges first; trim the black fabric to match the plaid.

Press to set the stitches, press the seam open first (this helps keep a nice crisp edge when the piece is turned), and then press the seams toward the black fabric.

Understitch on the black fabric along both long edges.

Wrap the outer edges at the short ends as shown. The seam line should not be right at the top, but about 1/16” toward the black fabric. By doing this, it gives room for the turn of the cloth and you’ll see toward the end what a beautiful corner is formed. Repeat for all four edges at the shorter ends; pin the fabric together along the short sides.

Stitch the short seam, following the white thread line as before. Leave an opening on one of the short sides for turning the piece. Trim the black fabric to match the plaid fabric edge.

Press to set the short seams and then fold and press the seams toward the black fabric, using the clapper to help set the seams.

The piece should look like this. Cut a piece of fusible batting the same size as the table mat.

Trim ½” from one long edge and one short edge. This will make the entire piece of batting just a little bit shorter all around so there is no bulk near the seam edges and corners.

Center the batting over the back of the plaid, fusible side down. Follow the directions on the batting to fuse the pieces together. If you don’t have a Teflon shoe on the iron like shown here, use a press cloth. Let the batting cool and then check all areas to make sure it is fused properly.

Locate the opening on the side and turn the piece right side out through the opening, forming the corners well. Look at how beautiful the corners are. Press around all the edges of the mat.

Press along the front, too. Turn in the edges of the opening and hand stitch closed.

Congratulations! Once you’ve done this project, I think you’ll think of many ways to use just one design to create your own plaid fabric with thread. Consider using white fabric with pastel or bright colors, maybe some Christmas colors—have fun experimenting by sewing one panel in different colorways, and then creating your own projects.

Thank you for purchasing the plaid design. I hope you enjoy sewing this project.

This plaid also pairs very nicely with the Sunflower designs; the links for these designs are listed in the “Related Product Links” section of the instructions.