Easy Strip Pieced Placemats

Here’s a quick and easy pattern I came up with for placemats.  I didn’t want to spend hours making a set of placemats so I decided to try something new.  So, I started playing around with some leftover strips I had from a Berry Bliss Bali Pop by Hoffman Fabrics.  And here’s what happened…

What you will need

Don’t you love my purple cutting mat!  I know I do!

2.5″ strips of fabric at least 19″ long (6 per placemat)
12.5″ x 18″ Fusible Fleece (Cotton Batting would also work)
12.5″ x 18″ fabric for backing
Fabric for binding (I used 2 strips, 2″ x WOF)

Let me start by saying I decided to use the fusible fleece because it’s easy!  I’m all about saving time.  Cotton batting would also work but would require pinning the fabric strips in place.  I HATE pinning so I went for easy and used the fusible fleece!

First, lay the fusible fleece with the fusible side up.  Seems silly to point this out but I have first hand knowledge that this is a VERY important step.  Otherwise, you will have to start over after you have your strips laid out and positioned.  Ask me how I know!

Start laying the strips of fabric on the fleece.  The first strip will line up with the top of the fleece.  Each subsequent strip will overlap the previous strip by 1/2.”  I used the grid on my cutting mat to help me line up my strips. 

The dark strip is strip #1.  Strip #2, the green strip, overlaps strip #1 by 1/2″

Strip #3, the blue strip, overlaps strip #2 by 1/2″

Continue adding strips until all 6 have been placed on top of the fusible fleece.  At this point, nothing is attached.  The strips are simply laying on the fleece. 

All 6 strips placed on the fleece

Iron the strips in place. 

Flip it over and trim off the excess strips on both sides.

My little piles of scraps after trimming

All strips are top stitched now!  Almost done…

All 4 sides are pinned…this is a close up of one corner

Almost finished….

Close up…so cute!