Pi Play Mat

Thomas Knauer, www.thomasknauersews.com/, designed this quilt for his two children (ages 5yrs and 7 mos). Mostly the wee one needed a play mat he could take everywhere, but he loved the idea of having a quilt that Bee (the 5yo) could use to teach Babbit his numbers. The fact that she can use it to teach Babbit all about Pi (and how awesome non-repeating decimals are) just makes it even better. As a papa, he’s always looking for more ways for play and learning to go hand in hand, so of course this had to carry over to his quilting.

Janome Supplies Required

  • Janome Sewing Machine – Thomas uses a Horizon Memory Craft 12000

Fabric and Notions Required

  • 1.5yds of 17” Pellon Wunder Under
  • Batting
  • Thread
  • Rotary cutter, cutting mat, scissors, pen, ruler
  • Number templates
  • Quilting motif file
  • Fabric:
    • 2 @ 10” squares of 8 different prints
    • 2 @ 10” squares of 8 different solids
    • 1.25 yds fabric for backing
    • 5 @ 2.25” x WOF for binding strips (use five different prints or solids)
       

 

Instructions

 

  1. Print out the number templates and trace the needed numbers onto the paper side of the Wunder Under.
  2. Following the instructions on the Wunder Under, adhere one number to one of each of your fabric squares (one of each of the eight solids and one of each of the eight prints).
  3. Cut out each of your numbers following the lines you traced onto the paper side of the Wunder Under.
  4. Following the Wunder Under instruction, adhere the appliqué numbers to your remaining fabric squares. I made sure this was done in pairs (ie. if I placed a yellow number on a green floral background square, I would place the number that uses the green floral on that yellow background).

     
  5. Using your appliqué carefully stitch along the edge of each number. I use a straight stitch just inside the edge of the number, but you can use whatever appliqué stitch you prefer.

     
  6. Piece your squares together, making sure they all go in the proper order.

     
  7. Layer your quilt sandwich. For play mats like this I use Fusible fleece which is very lightweight and words great for quilts that don’t need to be warm. I fuse it to the quilt top and then use spray-baste to adhere the quilt back.
  8. Using an erasable/water soluble pen or pencil mark lines vertically and horizontally across the entire quilt. Start 3” in from the left and go across, and start 3” from the top and work your way down. The intersections will be where you center your quilt in the embroidery hoop for quilting.
  9. Starting from the middle of the quilt, center one of the intersections you’ve drawn in your 230 x 230mm embroidery hoop. Using the included quilting motif file, begin quilting your quilt. After each motif unit is complete, shift over to and adjacent intersection working outward to the edges.

  10. Use the binding strips you cut to bind your quilt. Make sure to properly remove all marks.

     

  11. Go play.

     

 

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