Accuquilt GO! Snowflake Placemat Tut

I finished the Accuquilt GO! Blogger Spotlight article and project this week.  It will be published on February 8th! 

They wanted a short little article showing the project created with one of their GO! dies… but I’m used to doing more in-depth tutorials with step-by-step photos and instructions… so I’m gonna do that here!  I love my Accuquilt GO!  It really does make cutting out shapes so quick and easy!  And it makes detailed applique pieces like these snowflakes reallly super quick and easy!!  Can you imagine cutting these out by hand?

So, I love to use machine applique over pieced blocks or backgrounds, don’t you? You can chose your favorite block and piece it, then fuse the applique over the block!  I love the churn dash block, so that’s what I used for the background of the placemat… but you could use a log cabin block, a star block, a pinwheel, or even something as easy as a four patch.

I decided on the finished size of the placemat then made the churn dash block the size of the height for the placemat then added two strips on each side of the square block to make it into a rectangular shape.

I found a cute red novelty print for the back of the placemats with mugs on it.  I chose some soft blues for the block background and a cheery red print to make the churn dash really pop!  The snowflakes were made from a white on white fabric with fusible on the back. Cutting measurements for 4 placemats:

from block background blue-

8 squares @ 3 7/8”

2 @ 2” by 8”

2 @ 2” by 7”

8 @ 2 1/2” by 13”

4 center rectangles @ 7” by 8”

from red accent fabric-

8 squares @ 3 7/8”

2 @ 2” by 8”

2 @ 2” by 7”

from the white snowflake fabric-

4 squares @ 5 1/2” with your

favorite fusible on the back

4 backing pieces @ 13 1/4” by 18”

4 batting pieces @ 14” by 19”

Draw a line diagonally across the 3 7/8” blue squares.

Put one blue and one red square right sides together, and sew 1/4” away on BOTH sides of the drawn line.

Cut on the drawn line and voila!!  Two identical half-square triangle blocks!!  Repeat this with the other red and blue squares, press seams toward the darker fabric.

Next, sew eight sets of one red and one blue 2” by 7”strips, press seam toward the darker fabric.Next, sew eight sets of one red and one blue 2” by 8” strips, press seam toward the darker fabric.

Sew one 7” strip set to each 7” side of the center rectangle, press seam toward the darker fabric.

Sew one half-square triangle to each end of the 8” strip set as shown in the photo above!

Sew these pieces to each side of the center unit.

Finally, sew one 2 1/2” by 13” strip to each side of the finished block to create the rectangular placemat.

Now, the placemat background is done!  Time to play with the GO!  I used the Holiday Medley Die # 55043.

Carefully center two of the pre-fused white squares over the only the snowflake portion of the die and roll the die into the Go! Remove the excess cut fabric and repeat again with the remaining two white squares.

Center the one snowflake on each placemat front and fuse into place.  I used a pale blue thread to stitch close to the snowflake applique edge all around with a straight stitch, but you could do any decorative stitch you like.

Layer the front right side down on top of the backing right side up then on top of the batting and pin.

Stitch 1/4” from the edges all around, leaving a 4” opening to turn it through.  Turn it right sides out, press and top-stitch close to the edges all around.

Now, you can quilt it as desired.  I just stitched in the ditch around the churn dash. 

Oh, and here’s a little tip!  I trained my family to always flip their placemats over before eating on them. That way if any food gets on it, it’s not on the pretty front!

And what’s fun about this type of project, is that you can change out the block you chose to make for the background, as well as the fusible applique and fabric, you can make placemats and table runners for every season!!  Let’s GO! decorate!!  Woo hoo!!