Projects

Thrifty Table Linens

Created By: Janome Educator Danielle Wilkes
Skill Level: Intermediate

In early 2014, Janome issued a fabric design challenge to three of our educators. Take the same peice of fabric, and turn it into whatever you want. Danielle liked the colors of the challenge fabric, but not necessarily the print. She decided to go shopping in her family’s closets and found some men’s shirts that provided just what she needed to make these fun placemats and coordinating napkins.

Janome Supplies Required
  • Horizon Memory Craft 15000
  • Janome 1200D serger
  • ¼” Seam foot O
  • Acufeed Flex foot
  • SQ14 Embroidery hoop
  • Blue Tip needle #11
  • Prewound bobbin
  • Empty bobbin
     
Fabric and Notions Required

Fabric/Notions Required:

  • 2 yds. Cotton fabric
  • 3 men’s button-up shirts
  • Craft size 100% cotton batting
  • Artistic Tear-Away Medium Weight Stabilizer
  • Web Bond Temporary Adhesive Spray
  • Embroidery thread
  • 4 cones of coordinating serger thread
  • 50 weight cotton thread
     
Instructions

Cutting Directions:
From each shirt:

  • 20” square from the back panel
  • 6 ½” x 12 ½” rectangle from the left breast (including button placket)
  • (36) 2 ½” squares

From the cotton quilting fabric:

  • (36) 2 ½” squares
  • (1) 6 ½” x 12 ½”
  • (1) 20” square
  • (4) 16”X 22”

From the batting:

  • (4) 14” x 20”
     

Sewing Directions:

  1. Attach ¼” Seam foot O. Thread machine and wind bobbin with 50 weight thread.
  2. Sew all of the 2 ½” squares together randomly, into rows of 6 squares. You will have 24 strips. Press seam allowance to one side.
  3. Sew strips together so that you have 6 rows with the top strip having seams pressed to the right, the second row pressed to the left, third to the right, and so forth. After you have sewn, press seams to one side. You should now have 4 sets of patchwork squares in a 6x6 configuration.
  4. Place the three 6 ½” x 12 ½” left breast shirt panels to the right of each 6x6 patchwork square, overlapping by ¼”. Topstitch the shirt panel onto the patchwork square sewing 1/8” from the edge of the shirt. You now have three placemat tops.
  5. Place the one 6 ½” x 12 ½” cotton fabric, right sides together, with the remaining 6x6 patchwork block and stitch together using ¼” seam allowance. Press seam toward cotton print. This is your 4th placemat top.

Quilting Directions:

  1. Attach Acufeed Flex foot.
  2. Place your 16” x 22” cotton fabric wrong side up on the table. Spray the wrong side of the fabric with Web Bond. Center one of the batting pieces on top, adhering it to the fabric. Spray the top of the batting with Web Bond, and then center one of the placemat tops on top, adhering it to the batting.
  3. Quilt straight lines ¼” from each side of the seams. Trim the extra batting and backing fabric from the placemats so that your quilt sandwich is the same size as the placemat top. Set aside until it is time to finish the edges.

Embroidery Directions:

  1. Attach Embroidery foot.
  2. Thread machine with embroidery thread and insert prewound bobbin.
  3. Hoop stabilizer into the SQ14 hoop. Spray Web Bond on the stabilizer and lay the bottom right corner of your 20” x 20” shirt panel on the stabilizer.
  4. Select the Embroidery Mode on your machine.
  5. Select a font. Select the first letter of your last name. Enlarge it to two inches in height.
  6. Embroider the design.
  7. Repeat for the other two shirt panels and the 20” x 20”cotton fabric.

Serging Directions:

  1. Thread serger with coordinating thread for 4-thread overlock.
  2. Serge the edges of the 4 placemats.
  3. Designer Tip: When you have sewn around the circumference of the placemat, carefully sew only a few stitches on top of the beginning stitches. You don’t want to cut any material, just the beginning thread chain. Then, serge off the fabric, leaving a 3” - 4” chain. Using a large eyed needle, thread the chain through the overlock stitch and trim remaining chain.
  4. Change machine to a 3-Thread Rolled Hem. Refer to your owner’s manual for correct settings.
  5. Serge the napkin edges.
    Serger Tip: Before using an Overlock machine on corners, first snip a very small piece of fabric off of each corner. When approaching the corner, slow down and stop the needles in the up position at the very edge of the fabric. Pull the thread very slightly to the back and pivot the fabric. Start sewing again. This will prevent you from having to sew off of each corner, trimming the thread chains and using seam sealant to stabilize the stitches.
Everyone is Talking about Thrifty Table Linens
Reviews


Tako
Beautiful
Wednesday, November 23, 2016

cpindzola
Around the Table Dresden Placemats
Saturday, December 17, 2016

I like the concept, but the directions are "sloppy." Nowhere in the supply list does it mention the felt or the batting (how much?). Also, I would never use a high loft batting in a placemat, or a table runner, as I think that it would be too unstable for a glass. The next time I make these, I will cut out the batting (I use flannel) and spray baste it to the wrong side of the Dresden plate before I put the Dresden plate on the felt to cut out. I have not yet washed the finished placemat, and am hoping that the single layer of felt does not curl up, or become distorted after washing/drying.
Txmaid
Fun Great Gift!
Tuesday, February 21, 2017

MargieARK
Teatime Quilted Tablecloth
Friday, February 24, 2017

I made this today but your cutting directions need to be changed. You only need 4 of color 1 and color 3 4.5 squares for the triangles. Also the inner border, you only need 2 cuts as WOF is long enough to cut each in half to fit the sides.
MickelSews
Great Machine
Wednesday, August 30, 2017

I've had this machine for only a week now. I bought it used from a lady who makes her own clothes, but she no longer needed the machine. During the purchase, she noted that she is almost sad that it's better to give it away because of how well the machine performed. (I also bought it along side a computerized machine of another brand.} She demoed the machine for us, showing it worked and gave us everything (including the box it came in!) She took amazing care of this machine. I have used it a few times now, and the directions for threading were easy to follow (albeit my hands are quite large so the lower looper was a pain, but that is no fault to the machine or brand.) And I recommend this machine to anyone who wants to learn to serge and wants a machine that can grow with them. I will happily use this machine time and time again.
rvstan
S9 Review
Sunday, February 25, 2018

I love, love, love my S9! It's sews and embroiders beautifully and it's simplicity of use amazes me. I would recommend this machine for both a beginner and an experienced seamstress. If I would ask anything of Janome it would be to upgrade the programming to run a larger hoop size. I understand that it can't get much wider but there is most definitely room for it to go longer. That is the only limitation of this machine.
pjmnana
PJMNana
Monday, February 26, 2018

I purchased a Memorycraft 15000 a few years ago and it was the best purchase I ever made! This machine can do just about anything you would would ever want! I love the capability of using the Acuedit app to set up my embroidery pattern on my Ipad and then download it to the machine! I love how my embroidery looks upon completion and I love all the good lighting it has to light up your workspace. That way you don’t need to worry about where to set up your machine. It also has plenty of room to do machine embroidery on any size quilts! There are many decorative stitches from which to choose that are outstanding! It’s hard to choose which one to use! There are so many great features it is hard to decide what I love the most. If you want to buy only one machine to last a lifetime, I would recommend this one!
KLWash
S9 Review
Sunday, February 24, 2019

The S9 is amazing. I learned to sew by hand when I was just 5 and in my grandmothers way as she was quilting. I took seeing classes in high school until they would no longer let me sign up. The S9 makes me appreciate my current skills as well as motivate me to want to learn more. This machine is awesome.
SewSueMe2002
Horizon Memory Craft 15000
Thursday, November 19, 2020

My Janome Horizon Memory Craft 15000 is fantastic! I love, love, love this machine! When I came across the Eye for and Eye embroidery design today, I wanted to make it. However, the embroidery file is missing. Nothing downloads when I select the download button. Please help!
Jillfmischo
Treat Bag fun!
Monday, August 16, 2021

I made the Halloween treat bag for my new granddaughter and I’m sure it will last for years. No embroidery machine so I appliquéd the lettering. Need a little more skirt fabric for a better gathered look, and I used thin double-bias tape for the skirt hem, over edge stitch on skirt sides. I’m pleased with my results!
elenaz
Very helpful tutorial
Wednesday, October 25, 2023

I want to say thank you for teaching me this method of applique. I was able to do it with a small letters. This method is the best so far from all of those I've seen and tried.
plonkar
So useful
Thursday, November 30, 2023

I'd like to express my gratitude for teaching me this appliqué method. I successfully applied it with small letters, and, so far, it's the most effective among all the methods I've seen and tried.

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