Sally Giblin of The Rivendale Collection loved designing her Friends For Christmas wallhanging for Homespun Vol 9 No 7 so much that she got to work on a tablemat to match. Created in the same manner as the wallhanging, all you need to do is enlarge the stitchery pattern templates by 141% and enlarge the holly appliqué template by 122%. It is sure to look perfect adorning the Christmas table when family and friends come to visit.
Materials
Fat quarter beige check print fabric (stitchery background)
10cm (1/8yd) burgundy tone-on-tone print fabric (pieced blocks and prairie points)
10cm (1/8yd) mulberry tone-on-tone print fabric (pieced blocks and prairie points)
Fat eighth each of assorted print fabrics in gold, tan, dark green and medium green (pieced blocks)
20cm (1/4yd) olive green leaf print fabric (outer border)
Scrap of dark green tone-on-tone fabric (holly appliqué)
45cm (1/2yd) backing fabric
40 x 80cm (16 x 32in) fusible batting such as Pellon
Double-sided fusible web
DMC Stranded Embroidery Cotton in Very Dark Shell Pink (221) three skeins and Light Tan (437) Embroidery needle
15cm (6in) embroidery hoop (optional)
Six burgundy buttons in assorted sizes ranging from 16-24mm (5/8-1in)
16, 15mm (5/8in) rusty bells available from PickAdoll
Spray starch
Masking tape (optional)
Water-erasable fabric marking pen
Rotary cutter, ruler and mat
Sewing machine and 1/4in foot
General sewing supplies
Finished size: 36.5 x 82cm (14 1/4 x 32 1/4in) including rusty bells
Stitches used: Back stitch, blanket stitch, French knot, running stitch, satin stitch, straight stitch
Note: Please read all instructions before commencing the project. Careful and accurate cutting and sewing is essential to ensure success with this project. A seam allowance of 1/4in is included throughout unless otherwise stated. It is recommended that fabrics be 100% cotton, pre-washed and well ironed. Requirements are based on fabric 107cm (42in) wide. All embroidery is worked with two strands of cotton unless otherwise stated.
Embroidery
1. Repeat steps 1 and 2 as for the Friends For Christmas wallhanging. Sally worked the sleeve hems of the angel, the vest hems and carrot nose of the snowman, and the bird wing and beak as well as Santas nose, pompom and buckle in satin stitch. Work the angels buttons, the snowmans eyes, the birds eye and Santas eyes with French knots. Work all the snowflakes in straight stitch to create an eight-pointed star. Finally, work running stitch around the outer border of each stitchery square to finish.
2. Repeat step 4 as for the Friends For Christmas wallhanging.
Cutting
3. Cut the stitchery designs into three squares, 6 1/2in, centring each design before cutting.
4. From each of the burgundy and mulberry tone-on-tone print fabrics, cut:
Eight squares, 2in
Eight squares, 3in (prairie points).
5. From each of the assorted gold, tan, dark green and medium green print fabrics, cut:Eight squares, 2in.
6. From the olive green leaf print fabric, cut:
Three strips, 3 1/4 across the width of the fabric.
Assembly
7. To create the pieced sashings and borders, lay out the 2in squares cut from assorted fabrics into six rows of four squares and four rows of six squares. Mix and match the squares until you have an array of colours and prints that you like. Sew the rows of squares together and press all of the seams towards the darkest fabrics.
8. Referring to Diagram 1, sew a four block strip to the top and bottom edges of each of the stitchery blocks. Press all seams towards the pieced strips.
Diagram 1
9. Referring to the Tablemat Layout Diagram, sew a six block strip to the left and right edges of the angel and snowman blocks. Then join the blocks together as shown. Press all seams in the same manner as before.
10. Measure your tablemat horizontally through the centre and trim two of the olive green leaf print strips to this length. Sew them to the top and bottom edges of the tablemat and press seams towards the strips.
11. Measure your tablemat vertically through the centre and trim two strips this length from the remaining strip of olive green leaf print. Sew them to the left and right edges of the tablemat and press in the same manner.
12. Repeat steps 15 and 16 as for the Friends For Christmas wallhanging to complete the appliqué. Repeat step 17 as for the Friends For Christmas wallhanging to cut the backing fabric and fuse the batting to the wrong side of the tablemat.
Prairie points
13. To create the prairie points, spray the wrong side of each of the 16, 3in squares with spray starch. Fold the 3in squares in half diagonally, wrong sides together and press. Then fold them in half diagonally again and press. See diagram 2 on page 90 of Homespun Vol 9 No 7.
14. Divide the prairie points into the two colour sets and place a burgundy prairie point at one end of the left edge of the tablemat, right sides together and raw edges matching. Baste in place.
15. Line up the raw edges of the remaining prairie points, alternating colours, with the raw edges of the tablemat top. Insert the folded edge of a prairie point into the open side of another prairie point so that it sits with 1/4-1/2in of its width inside the previous point. Space the prairie points evenly along the left edge of the tablemat. Once you have spread eight prairie points evenly along the edge, pin, then sew them in place using a !/8in seam allowance.
16. Repeat step 15 for the right edge of the tablemat.
Quilting
17. Match the backing fabric with the tablemat, right sides together. Pin the three layers in place and sew around the outer edge, leaving a 5in opening at the top for turning. Clip the corners, then turn the tablemat right side out. Press well and slip stitch the opening closed.
17. Repeat step 22 and 23 as for the Friends For Christmas wallhanging.
18. Attach the rusty bells to the tip of each prairie point using two strands of Very Dark Shell Pink (221).
19. Label and date your tablemat.
The wonderful rusty bells featured in Sally Giblins tablemat are available from PickAdoll. See the Stockists & Contacts list at the end of Homespun Vol 9 No 7 for business details. For more information on other charming designs by Sally Giblin of The Rivendale Collection, phone/fax (03) 5562 2041.
