Cross-Hatched Placemats

Placemats are a quick and simple project for sewers of any skill level. Using modern fabrics and a geometric embroidery design you can update any dining room table. Use Baby Lock Palette digitizing software or the Dual Feed Couching foot along with the guide beam to create a quick addition to your dining decor. Don’t stop with the placemats; create a table runner to match!

Materials:

• USB thumb drive (optional)
• Baby Lock Tear-Away Stabilizer med weight (optional)
• Baby Lock Soft Stabilizer for fusing
• 1 Yard zigzag printed decorative fabric
• 1/2 Yard solid yellow decorative fabric
• 1 Yard of black cotton fabric
• Madeira black embroidery and Aerofil threads
• Black crochet thread for couching (size #8)
• Frixion pen
• Batting
• Temporary spray adhesive
• General sewing and quilting supplies

Tools:

• Baby Lock Destiny Sewing & Embroidery Machine
• Baby Lock Palette Digitizing Software (optional)
• Dual Feed Foot Thread Guide with Couching Sole

Steps:

1. Using the Dual Feed Foot: Cut out an 8" wide strip across the width of the yellow fabric.

2. Fuse the Baby Lock Soft Stabilizer to the back of the strip.

3. Using a straight edge ruler and the Frixion pen draw several rows of lines on the strip at a 45 degree angle. For accuracy use the markings on the ruler.

4. Set the machine up for sewing:

   1. Attach the Dual Feed foot with the couching sole.

   2. Attach the thread guide.

   3. Change the needle to a size 14 Quilting needle.

   4. Thread the machine with Madeira Aerofil thread.

   5. Wind the bobbin with Finishing Touch bobbin thread.

   6. Under the Sewing category select #1 tab. Select stitch number 1-09. If a stitch is greyed out the stitch is not suitable for use with this foot. Set the width of the stitch at 2mm wide.

   7. Place the crochet thread on the top of the machine and thread it through the guides pulling it through the small hole on the foot. Leave approximately an 8" tail.

      Tip: It is easier to thread the yarn through the hole on the sole of the foot with the foot detached from the foot.

   8. Activate the needle beam. Set the beam in the 3.5 position.

   9. Place the 8" wide strip under the foot and begin to sew following the guide beam (as in the illustration below). Sew all the diagonal lines that go in the same direction and then reverse the

   10. For the third directional set of lines place the stitched strip under the foot with the guide beam centered over the crossed stitched line points.

   11. Guide the stitched section using a moderate sewing pace.

   12. Tip: Do not look at the guide beam near the needle. Look out toward the end of the guide beam centering the beam over the cross-points. You will never stitch crooked again.

5. At the computer attach the dongle and open Palette. Follow the next steps to set up the workspace: (Optional Steps 5 - 13)

   1. Close the Wizards.

   2. From the Design Settings select the 200mm x 300mm hoop.

6. On the top toolbar select the Shapes icon and follow the next set of steps:

   1. Select the Zigzag Net Fill Stitch as shown below.

   2. Since we do not need an outline around the shape click on the down arrow and select Not Sewn (line).

   3. Select the color of thread you wish to use by clicking on the spool and selecting a color from the list.

   4. Take the cursor to the workspace. Left click and drag to draw a rectangular shape that measures 130mm x 294mm. The size appears on the left side of the status bar below the workspace.

7. If you want to adjust the angle on the fill click on the Sewing Attributes located to the left of the workspace.

   1. There are many options in this area so feel free to make adjustments as desired.

   2. In the sample the triangle shape was selected and the direction was rotated to 270 degrees. Density and Spacing may also be adjusted as desired.

8. To save the design click on File Save As and save to a thumb drive.

9. Set the machine up for embroidery.

10. Click on the Embroidery category and retrieve the design from the thumb drive.

11. Set the design and click on Embroidery.

12. Hoop the tear-away stabilizer and a section of the solid yellow fabric that will fit in the hoop.

13. Place the hoop on the machine and embroider the design.

14. Assembly: Cut the stitched section to 6" x 13".

15. From the print fabric cut a section that measures 13" x 13".

16. Piece the two sections together using a 1/2" seam allowance. Press the seam open.

17. From the zigzag fabric cut a section for the backing so that it measures 1" larger around than the pieced section. Make a sandwich with the backing batting and the pieced top section.

18. Set the machine up for sewing with the Dual Feed foot while using the standard sole and a straight stitch. Stitch-in-the-ditch on the seam line and then stitch over the zigzag lines on the fa

19. Trim the edges so that the placemat measures 18" x 12".

20. To bind the placemat cut two 2 1/2" wide strips from the black fabric. Piece the two strips together to make one long strip. With wrong sides together fold and press.

    1. Fold one of the raw ends under 1/4" at a 45 degree angle and press. Place the folded edge of the bias strip 6" down from the 18" edge and pin in place.

    2. Start to sew 4" down from the top edge of the bias strip and 3/8" from the raw edge of the placemat. Sew until you are 3/8" from the first corner. Cut the thread.

    3. Fold the bias strip up and away from the corner to create a 45 degree edge. Finger press.

    4. Fold the bias strip down over the second edge on the placemat and pin in place. (Be sure to maintain the 45 degree corner.) Continue to sew.

    5. Repeat when you get to the second third and fourth corners. When you get to the starting point of the bias strip cut the ending strip so that it slides inside the starting point.

21. Fold the bias strip to the back and hand-sew in place.