Project Gingerbread Playland Placemat Sew a base for your gingerbread playland. This placemat is the perfect size for a table centerpiece simply arrange your embroidered gingerbread buildings, characters and village elements on top. Skill Level: Beginner Supplies Needed: ½ yard brown felt fabric ½ yard red/white striped fabric 16 x 20 rectangle of pattern tracing paper Matching all-purpose sewing thread Rotary cutter, mat, and ruler Optional: Temporary adhesive fabric spray, such as KK2000 ¼ patchwork foot Edge-joining foot Read all instructions before beginning. INSTRUCTIONS: 1. Create Gingerbread Playland Placemat Pattern. Print out the Gingerbread Playland Placemat Template, from page 5. Cut out the paper template. Place the placemat template on the folded pattern paper, aligning template s straight edges along the pattern paper folds. Trace the curved template edge. Cut out pattern through folded layers. Open the pattern and mark a notch at the edge of each fold line. Continued on page 2
Fold the 16 x 20 rectangle of pattern tracing paper into precise quarters. 2. Assemble Playland Placemat. Cut two placemats from the felt yardage. Note: Place the pattern somewhat diagonal to cut both placemats from the fabric. Place pins at the pattern notches. Optional: Lightly spray the wrong side of each felt placemat with a temporary adhesive spray, such as KK2000. Place felt mats together, meeting wrong sides and matching pins. Baste around the outer edge the mat, with a scant ¼ seam allowance. Place a rotary cutting ruler at a 45 angle to the selvage edge of the binding fabric. Cut 3 4 fabric strips that are 2½ wide. You will need about 60 total of binding strips. Join short ends of the binding strips, right sides together, using a diagonal seam to reduce bulk. By aligning a white stripe in the upper binding strip over a red stripe in the lower binding strip, you can then carefully stitch along the white stripe in the upper binding strip for a perfectly invisible join. Trim seam allowance to approximately ¼ and press open. Repeat for remaining binding seam allowances Trim one binding end square. page 2
Press cut end of the binding strip at a 45 angle; creating a visible triangle. Fold the binding in half lengthwise, wrong sides together; press. Meet the angle-pressed end of the binding to the right side of the placemat, meeting raw edges and starting in the center of one straight side. Stitch the binding to the placemat with a ¼ seam allowance, beginning 3 from the end of the binding and continuing around the placemat. Note: Use a ¼ patchwork foot to stitch more accurate ¼ seam allowances. Do not stretch the binding as you stitch around the placemat curves; allow the binding to gently ripple. Stop stitching approximately 3 before the start of the binding. A 6 section will remain unstitched. Smooth the binding end over the beginning of the binding strip. Mark the end (which is on top) where it crosses over the vertical cut edge of the angle-pressed end. Open the marked end and trim the binding end square and even at the mark. Tuck the trimmed binding end into the pressed binding beginning. Pin the two inner layers together. Gently unfold the binding ends, keeping them pinned, but with the diagonal press line facing up. Align cut ends and re-pin if needed. Stitch in the diagonal press line. Remove pins and re-fold binding to check the fit to the placemat. Re-stitch if necessary. Unfold binding, trim seam allowance to ¼. Press open. Reposition binding and stitch remaining portion of seam. Press the binding away from placemat. Turn placemat over and press binding to cover the back edge of the placemat. page 3
Pin the binding in place. Replace the ¼ foot with the Edgejoining foot. Run the blade of the foot along the attached binding edge and your stitching will nestle perfectly along the binding. Use a sewing thread that matches the felt color. Secure the folded-under binding edge by stitching along the binding seam. 3. 4. Bind the Playland Placemat. Arrange and re-arrange Gingerbread Playland Buildings, Chacacters, and Accessories on the Gingerbread Playland Placemat take a few minutes to play! For other exciting projects like this one, visit our website at www.amazingdesigns.com