Pumpkin Star Place Mat

Inspired by: Evening Harvest from designer Carole Carter of From My Carolina Home

Quilt tester: Sarah Huechteman

Finished size: 12-1/2 ×18-1/2 "

Finished block: 12" square

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

• Scraps of assorted orange prints (place mat top)
• 18×21" piece (fat quarter) cream print (place mat top)
• 10" square green print (place mat top)
• 18×21" piece (fat quarter) gray print (place mat top, binding)
• 1/2 yard gray floral (place mat top, backing)
• 12-1/2 ×18-1/2 " batting

Cut pieces in the following order.

From assorted orange prints, cut:

• 3—2-1/2 ×5-1/2 " rectangles

From cream print, cut:

• 1—7-3/8" square
• 4—3-1/2 " squares
• 4—2" squares
• 2—1-1/2 ×3" rectangles

From green print, cut:

• 4— 4" squares

From gray print, cut:

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

From gray floral, cut:

• 1—12-1/2 ×18-1/2 " backing rectangle
• 2—3-1/2  ×12-1/2 " 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) Referring to Diagram 1, sew together assorted orange print 2-1/2 ×5-1/2 " rectangles in a row to make pumpkin body subunit. The subunit should be 5-1/2 ×6-1/2 " including seam allowances.

2) Use a pencil to mark a diagonal line on wrong side of each cream print 2" square and each green print 4" square. (To prevent fabric from stretching as you draw lines, place 220-grit sandpaper under each square.)

3) Align marked cream print squares with opposite corners of pumpkin body subunit (Diagram 2; note direction of marked lines). Sew on marked lines. Trim seam allowances to 1/4". Press open attached triangles. Repeat with remaining marked cream print squares to make pumpkin body unit. The unit still should be 5-1/2 ×6-1/2 " including seam allowances.

4) Sew together cream print 1-1/2 ×3" rectangles and gray print 1-1/2 " square to make stem unit (Diagram 3). The unit should be 1-1/2 ×6-1/2 " including seam allowances.

5) Join pumpkin body unit and stem unit to make pumpkin center (Diagram 4). The center should be 6-1/2 " square including seam allowances.

6) Referring to Diagram 5, align two marked green print squares with opposite corners of cream print 7-3/8" square. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn lines. Cut apart on drawn lines to make two triangle units; press open (Diagram 6).

7) Referring to Diagram 7, align a marked green print square with corner of a Step 6 unit. Sew together with two seams, stitching 1/4" on each side of drawn line. Cut apart on drawn line to make two Flying Geese units; press open (Diagram 8). Trim Flying Geese units to 3-1/2×6-1/2 ". Repeat with remaining marked green print square and remaining triangle unit to make four Flying Geese units total.

8) Referring to Diagram 9, lay out cream print 3-1/2 " squares, Flying Geese units, and pumpkin center in three rows. Sew together pieces in rows. Join rows to make a pumpkin star block. The block should be 12-1/2 " square including seam allowances.

9) Sew gray floral 3-1/2 ×12-1/2" rectangles to left- and right-hand edges of block (Place Mat Assembly Diagram) to complete place mat top. The place mat top should be 12-1/2 ×18-1/2 " including seam allowances.

1) Layer place mat top with batting and gray floral 12-1/2 ×18-1/2" backing rectangle; baste. Quilt as desired.

2) Bind with gray print binding strips.