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)
- Cut (3) 2 1/4″ x 20″ strips.*
- 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.
- 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.*
- 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)
- Cut (1) 12 3/4″ x 18″ rectangle for backing.
- Cut (4) 3 1/2″ squares.
- Cut (2) 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ rectangles.
Fabric C
- Cut (2) 3 1/2″ squares.
Piecing Instructions

Piecing Step 1
Piecing Step 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.
- 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
- 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.
- 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
- 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.
- Sew the blocks together into (2) 6 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ rows, pressing seams open.
- Sew the rows together into a 12 1/2″ square, pressing the seam open.
Piecing Step 4
- 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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
I absolutely love your placemat design. Thank you for the tutorial.
Thank you for the tutorial. I have not done any transparency quilts and this is the perfect start!
I loved these the first time and the tutorial with cutting instructions is a big help. If you have a minute before the end of the day could you link up over at my tutorial link up? Thank you.
https://www.kathleenmcmusing.com/2020/01/tips-and-tutorials-on-the-22nd-1-ttot22.html.
Thank you for the great tutorial on making these. they make a quick way to see how fabrics would play together in making a larger transparency project.
Thank you! I just love this and appreciate the easy follow along tutorial.
Love the tutorial Yvonne, thank you. It’s just the thing for someone who wants to try transparency but doesn’t want to make a full quilt, practical too, we all use placemats and they don’t last forever. Thinking about it they would make a lovely gift when I go to visit my son and his family in the spring. Just the job!
Great tutorial – thanks!
Thank you for the tutorial, great transparency project!
Such wonderful modern placemats. I hope to make a set for me in the future. Thanks for the tutorial.
Lovely tutorial, but even lovelier is AHHHHHHH that photo of your ahhh-mazing quilt. 🙂
Thanks for sharing a tutorial for those placemats. I think your table is going to look SEW amazing when you add them!
Thank you so much for the tutorial Yvonne! My dining room is in desperate need of new placemats so the timing is perfect!
Thank you for linking this up! I think this is a really fun way to try transparency!