I know it’s not spring yet, just wishful thinking. I happen to have a large number of scraps in my sewing room at the moment in these lovely beach-inspired colors. And I just received a review copy of Alabama Studio Style, which has a lot of string-pieced projects (more on that later in the week).
So here’s a quick tutorial for string-pieced coasters. It seems that I do a lot of coaster tutorials here, but I’m a fan of quick, easy and useful things. And this is a great project for fabric scraps.
Supplies (for 4 coasters):
- Fabric scraps: min. 24″ length
- Backing fabric: 5 1/2″ x 22″
- Quilt batting: 5 1/2″ x 22″
- Matching thread
- Cut fabric scraps with minimum 24″ length. Cuts should not be straight.
- Sew right sides together until you have a width of 6″ or more.
- Press.
- Cut off sides and top to form a rectangle 5 1/2″ x 22.
- Cut out tops, batting and backing fabric in 5 1/2″ squares.
- Sew around, leaving an opening to turn right sides out. Opening should be on a side with one continuous piece. Clip off the corners.
- Turn right sides out, press and hand stitch the opening closed.
Love this idea- I’m going to make some of these as “just because gifts” this afternoon.
Thanks!
Wonderful tutorial! Thanks for sharing 🙂
That looks so easy, and so great for spring! I’m thinking of placemats instead, since we don’t use coasters much (we don’t drink coffee or tea).
Thanks for such a simple tutorial!
yea, spring!
You know what? I like how they look wrong-side-out, too! Thanks so much for the tutorial.
Cheers!
Very Cute! I’m thinking placemats would be very yummy.
cool! I think I should make some!
i like the colors you chose a lot!
How lovely colors! We could also use some spring here in Finland but it´s snowing again outside… I just found my way here and it seems lovely – I am now going to start enjoying the earlier posts!
Happy Monday from Finland!
Yours,
Mia
Thanks for a lovely simple tutorial, great idea to use up some scraps.
Thank you for the tutorial…love it!
Love the stripe-y piecing!! I linked to your tutorial on Craft Gossip Sewing:
http://sewing.craftgossip.com/tutorial-spring-pieced-coasters/2010/02/23/
–Anne
at the risk of sounding stupid– how do you get the batting in there? I’ve made coasters but never put batting in them because I thought when I turned them inside out it would get all bunched up.
Lisa — there are two ways I’ve made coasters with batting. For this project, I just stacked the batting as the bottom layer when I sewed the fabrics right sides together. So you sew through all three layers, then trim the corners and turn right sides out. This gives you corners that are just slightly rounded due to the batting. Alternately, I have made coasters by sewing the fabric first, forming a pocket with one whole side open, then stuffed the batting inside this pocket. Then I tuck and press the open end, arranging the batting at the open end to slide under the fabric and topstitch around. This gives you cleaner corners, but you have to be precise with your batting measurements.
These are gorgeous and so fresh! I couldn’t resist adding it to our “link luv roundup” today, come by for a peek!
http://www.luvinthemommyhood.com/2010/02/link-luv-roundup_24.html
Oh how pretty! Thanks so much for the great idea, I’ll be linking.
Thanks for sharing, they are pretty.
Great tutorial and a perfect way to welcome spring!
Amei essa idéia.. vou aproveitar os meus retalhinhos e enfeitar minha mesa..!