Fall Leaves Place Mat

Inspired by: Swirling Leaves from designer Melissa Corry

Quilt tester: Diane Tomlinson

Finished place mar: 21-1/2 ×12-1/2"

Yardages and cutting instructions are based on 42" of usable fabric width.

• 9x21" piece (fat eighth) each white print and blue print (block)
• 18x21" piece (fat quarter) green print (block, binding)
• Scraps of assorted prints in pink, red, orange, and yellow (block)
• 3/8 yard brown print (place mat top, backing)
• 9x21" piece (fat eighth) pink gingham (place mat top)
• 21-1/2×12-1/2" batting

Cut pieces in the following order.

From white print, cut:

• 4—3-3/8" squares
• 1—3" square
• 2—2" squares

From green print, cut:

• 4—2-1/2×21" binding strips
• 1—3" square

From assorted prints, cut:

• 4—3-3/8" squares
• 3—3" squares

From blue print, cut:

• 2—1-3/4×10-1/2" rectangles
• 2—1-3/4×8" rectangles

From brown print, cut:

• 1—12-1/2×21-1/2" backing rectangle
• 2—1-1/2×19-1/2" border rectangles
• 2—1-1/2×12-1/2" border rectangles
• 2—1-1/2×10-1/2" rectangles

From pink gingham, cut:

• 2—4×10-1/2" rectangles

Measurements include 1/4" seam allowances. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

Press seams in directions indicated by arrows on diagrams. If no direction is specified, press seam toward darker fabric.

1. Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each white print 2" square and 3-3/8" square.

2. Align a marked white print 2" square with top right-hand corner of green print 3" square (Diagram 1; note direction of marked line). Sew on marked line. Trim seam allowance to 1/4". Press open attached triangle. Repeat to add remaining marked white print 2" square to bottom left-hand corner to make stem unit. The unit still should be 3" square including seam allowances.

3. Layer a marked white print 3-3/8" square atop an assorted print 3-3/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of marked line (Diagram 2). Cut apart on marked line. Press open to make two triangle-squares. Each triangle-square should be 3" square including seam allowances. Repeat to make eight triangle-squares total; set four aside for another project.

4. Referring to Diagram 3, lay out stem unit, assorted print 3" squares, four nonmatching triangle-squares, and white print 3" square in three rows. Sew together squares in rows. Join rows to make a leaf unit. The unit should be 8" square including seam allowances.

5. Sew blue print 1-3/4×8" rectangles to opposite edges of leaf unit (Diagram 4). Join blue print 1-3/4×10-1/2" rectangles to remaining edges to make leaf block. The block should be 10-1/2" square including seam allowances.

6. Referring to Place Mat Assembly Diagram, sew brown print 1-1/2×10-1/2" rectangles to opposite edges of leaf block. The leaf block should now be 12-1/2×10-1/2" include seam allowances.

7. Referring to Place Mat Assembly Diagram, sew pink gingham 4×10-1/2" rectangles to brown print edges of leaf block to make place mat center. The place mat center should be 19-1/2×10-1/2" including seam allowances.

8. Sew brown print 1-1/2×19-1/2" border rectangles to top and bottom edges of place mat center (Place Mat Assembly Diagram). Add brown print 1-1/2×12-1/2" border rectangles to remaining edges to complete place mat top. The place mat top should be 21-1/2×12-1/2" including seam allowances.

1. Layer place mat top with batting and brown print 21-1/2×12-1/2" backing rectangle; baste. Quilt as desired.

2. Bind with green print binding strips.