Tumbling Transparency Placemat {Tutorial}

Fabric Requirements

The Tumbling Transparency Placemat is a quick and fun project that requires (for each placemat):

• Fabric A (background & binding): 1 fat quarter*
• Fabric B (includes backing): 1 fat quarter*
• Fabric C: (2) 3 1/2″ squares
• Batting: 17 1/2″ x 13″ rectangle

*Note that a fat quarter is assumed to be 18″ x 20″ for the purposes of this pattern.

Tumbling Transparency Placemat

As I mentioned when I shared the Tumbling Transparency Placemats on Monday, placemats get all kinds of food spilled on them regularly. In the 7 years I have used quilted placemats, I have been able to wash out tomato sauce, beet juice, wine, and all kinds of other food spills easily. That being said, I suggest using a dark (Fabric A) to light (Fabric C) fabric progression. The choice is yours, however!

When making a transparency pattern, the key to pulling off the effect is in the fabric selection. I have several additional tutorials to help you with your transparency fabric selection:

• Playing with Color Transparency
• Evaluating Fabric Color Value Tips
• Evaluating Fabric Contrast
• Video Tutorial on converting images to grayscale

Cutting Instructions

Fabric A Cutting Instructions

Fabric A (background & binding)

1. Cut (3) 2 1/4″ x 20″ strips.*
2. From the remainder, cut (1) 11 1/4″** x 12 1/2″ rectangle. **Note that if your fat quarter was not 18″ tall, this dimension might be different.
3. From the 11 1/4″ x 12 1/2″ rectangle, cut (2) 2 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ strips. Place the remainder of the rectangle in your scrap bin.*
4. From the remainder of the fat quarter, cut (2) 3 1/2″ squares and (2) 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ rectangles.

*Note that the (3) 2 1/4″ x 20″ strips will be used for the binding. For my placemats, I typically join my binding strips with a straight seam. If you join your strips with a bias join, cut an additional 2 1/4″ x 12 1/2″ strip in step 3.

Fabric B Cutting Instructions

Fabric B (including backing)

1. Cut (1) 12 3/4″ x 18″ rectangle for backing.
2. Cut (4) 3 1/2″ squares.
3. Cut (2) 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ rectangles.

Fabric C

1. Cut (2) 3 1/2″ squares.

Piecing Instructions

Piecing Step 1

Piecing Step 1

1. Sew a Fabric C 3 1/2″ square to a Fabric B 3 1/2″ square. Press seam open or toward Fabric B. Repeat to make (2) B/C 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ units.
2. Sew a Fabric B 3 1/2″ square to a Fabric A 3 1/2″ square. Press seam open or toward Fabric B. Repeat to make (2) A/B 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ units.

Piecing Step 2

Piecing Step 2

1. Sew a Fabric B 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ rectangle to the top of a B/C 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ unit. Press seam open or toward Fabric B. Repeat to make (2) B/C 6 1/2″ squares.
2. Sew a Fabric A 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ rectangle to the top of an A/B 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ unit. Press seam open or away from Fabric A rectangle. Repeat to make (2) A/B 6 1/2″ squares.

Piecing Step 3

Piecing Step 3

1. Arrange the (4) 6 1/2″ squares from Piecing Step 2 in the orientation you like. Note that there are two layout options. For my set of placemats, I made 2 in one orientation and 2 in the second orientation.
2. Sew the blocks together into (2) 6 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ rows, pressing seams open.
3. Sew the rows together into a 12 1/2″ square, pressing the seam open.

Piecing Step 4

1. Sew the (2) Fabric A 2 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ rectangles to the left and right of the 12 1/2″ square, pressing seams open or toward the Fabric A rectangle to complete the 16 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ placemat top.

Tumbling Transparency Placemats

Finishing Instructions

1. Layer the Fabric B backing (wrong side up), a 17 1/2″ x 13″ piece of batting, and your pieced quilt top. Baste the layers together using your preferred method.
2. Quilt as desired. I used my walking foot and 50wt Aurifil thread to quilt the placemats with a 1″ grid using thread that matched Fabric A.
3. Join your (3) 2 1/4″ x 20″ binding strips together. I chose to join my strips with a straight seam. If you want to use a bias join, you might need to cut an additional 2 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ strip from the remainder of your Fabric A fat quarter.
4. Trim the quilted placemat to 16 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ and bind using your favorite binding technique. I opted to machine bind my placemats by first sewing the binding down with a 1/4″ seam allowance to the back of the quilt and then top stitching the binding down to the front of the quilt to finish.

Congratulations! You have completed a Tumbling Transparency Placemat I would love to see what you create. If you are on Instagram, tag me (@QuiltingJetgirl) and any images of your quilt using #TumblingTransparencyPlacemat. Or send an email to yvonne(at)quiltingjetgirl(dot)com with a photograph or a link to a blog post about your quilt!

Sunburst

Did you enjoy making this transparency project? If so, I have many other transparency quilt designs available in my shop!

Linking up with Tips and Tutorials On The 22nd #1 with Kathleen McMusing.