Valentine’s Reversible Quilted Placemat

This Valentine’s show others that love is in the everyday details. This quick and easy reversible placemat with two heart quilt blocks can be made in a day, yet can be used all year long. Once you know how to make the heart shaped block, you can use them in different projects.

The heart shapes are made out of six half square triangles (HSTs). Finished size of this placemat is 25-inches wide by 13.5-inches deep. You’ll need red and two coordinating fabrics. I‘m using blue and white. I’ll show you the quickest way to cut all the half-square triangles (HSTs) using fabric strip sets.

                                                                        Close-up of the red, blue and white fabrics

Tip: Add a message to your project. I chose a backing fabric print that has messages of encouragement. Some of them are: “What does your heart say?”, “Embrace the Journey”, “Tell your story”. Or use the alphabet stitches of your sewing machine to create your message.

Be best prepared for this project. See “Supplies”, “Fabric” and “Getting Ready To Sew”.

• Your favorite ¼ inch presser foot
• Walking Foot
• White Thread for piecing
• Coordinating Thread for quilting
• Quilting Flower Pins
• Heat Erasable Marking Pens
• Rotary Cutter
• Rotating Cutting Mat
• Sewing Snips
• 6 x 6 Inch Square Quilting Ruler
• 6 x 24 Inch Quilting Ruler
• Sewing Stiletto
• Wool Pressing Mat
• Ironing Mat
• Steam Iron
• Fabric Starch
• Quilting Gloves
• Fabric Glue Spray
• White batting
• Double sided basting tape

Fabric width is based on 44-45 inch quilt cotton.

• 1-yard of blue
• ¾-yard red
• ¾-yard of white
• Batting, 13.5-inches deep by 25-inches wide

Use your favorite way to prep for a new project or try my proven, stress-free method. See “Getting Ready To Quilt-The Ultimate Checklist”.

                                                                                              Red Heart Block

• Cut (1) fabric strip 5-inches wide by 11-inches long
• Cut (1) fabric strip 6.5-inches wide by 15-inches long.
• Cut (1) rectangle 13.5-inches deep by 25-inches wide for the placemat backing.

• Cut (1) fabric strip 5-inches wide by 11-inches long.
• Cut (1) fabric strip 6.5-inches wide by 15-inches long.
• Cut (1) fabric rectangle 2-⅞-inches wide by 11-inches long.

                                                                                          White Heart Block

• Make (1) 5-inches wide cut from the 5-inch wide fabric strip.
• Make (1) 6.5-inches wide cut from the 6.5-inches wide fabric strip

• Make (1) 5-inches wide cut from the 5-inch wide fabric strip.
• Make (1) 6.5-inches wide cut from the 6.5-inches wide fabric strip.
• Cut (1) fabric rectangle 2-7/8-inches wide by 11-inches long.

Reserve the remaining white fabric for the 1-inch wide sashing.

                                                                                          Heart Block Layout

You’ll make the heart block in two parts. In part 1 you’ll gather the fabric and cut your HSTs. In part 2 you’ll piece rows 1, 2 and 3.

See the following detailed instructions to make the heart blocks. I’ll explain in detail how to make the white heart block. To make the red heart block, you can follow the same steps. Before you can start piecing, I’ll show you how to cut the half-square triangles in an efficient way.

                                                                                    White Heart Block Layout

Use your way to make and cut fabric strip sets or try this technique from “How To Make A Scrappy Mug Rug” blog. (See section: “Making 6.5-inch Square Blocks With A Template” steps 1 to 4.)

First part we are going to cut the half-square triangles of row 1. After that we are cutting the bigger half-square triangles of row 3.

First Step

From a red and a white 5-inch wide fabric strip cut (1) 5-inch square. Pin its center to keep it aligned. (These four small HSTs will make Row 1)

Second Step

Stitch around the entire perimeter of the square using a ¼-inch seam allowance. Remove the pin.

                                                                    Draw a red diagonal line from corner to corner

Third Step

Use a heat erasable pen to draw a red diagonal line from one corner of the square to the opposite corner. When finished you’ll have an “X” centered on the wrong side of the square.

                                                                          Square Cut Along Red Diagonal Lines

Fourth Step

Cut the square along the red diagonal lines to produce (4) red/white HSTs.

Fifth Step

Finger press open each HST. Press flat with an iron.

Sixth Step

Trim each HST to 3-1/8 inches square. Set aside for piecing.

First Step

From a red and a white 6.5-inches wide fabric strip cut (1) 6.5-inches square. Pin its corner to keep it aligned. (These two big HSTs will create Row 3)

                                                                                  One Diagonal Cutting Line

Second Step

Draw a red diagonal cutting line from corner to corner.

                                                                                              Stitching Lines

Third Step

Draw black stitching lines ¼-inch on each side of the cutting line. Sew along the black lines.

Fourth Step

Cut the square on the red cutting line. You’ve made (2) red/white HSTs.

Fifth Step

Finger press each HST open. Press flat with an iron.

Sixth Step

Set aside for piecing.

Refer to the white heart block layout (Picture #6).

First Step

Piece Row 1 [(4) small red/white HSTs]

Second Step

Piece Row 3 [(2) big red/white HSTs]

Tip: Perfectly align the midpoints of your heart block as you piece Rows 1 to 3. Find the midpoint of Row 2 by folding it in half and pressing the crease with an iron. Align the crease with the midpoint of Row 1 before sewing Row 2 to Row 1. Align the midpoint of Row 3 with the crease of Row 2. Then sew Row 3 to Row 2. Your heart will be perfectly aligned!

Third Step

Sew Row 1 to row 2 and Row 3 to Row 2. Press the resulting block flat. Trim it 11-inches square but be careful to preserve the points of the heart. Your white heart block is finished!

                                                                                      Red Heart Block Layout

To make the red heart block, repeat Part 1 and 2 to assemble the heart quilt block. Your trimmed red heart block is 11-inches square.
 
Great Job! You’re three steps from finishing this project - you’ll add the sashing, the border, make the quilt sandwich and quilt the placemat.

First Step

Add The Sashing.
Use your favorite method to add the 1-inch wide sashing to your heart blocks.

Second Step

Make The Placemat Quilt Sandwich and Finish The Placemat - The No Binding Way. Finish your placemat your favorite way or see my detailed methods in the blog “How To Make A Scrappy Mug Rug” (Sub-Sections: “Making The Quilt Sandwich – Four Easy Steps” and “Finishing The Mug Rug – The No Binding Way”)

Third Step

Quilt the placemat.

                                                                  Finished Valentine’s Reversible Quilted Placemat

Nice work!

Why not make a pair of placemats for your home or as a gift? Use half square triangles and these quilt finishing tips to make many other projects. Now that you learned to make a heart shape with HSTs, you can use this shape for quilt blocks over and over again.These other Madam Sew blogs might inspire you to use half-square triangles for pillows, bags or table runners. The possibilities are endless!

• Making Half Square Triangles
• No Waste Flying Geese With Placemat Project
• Make a Quilted Tote Bag with Half-Square Triangles
• Half-Square Triangle Layouts

If you are looking for more Valentine projects, check out this blog with 9 easy Valentine sewing projects, all free tutorials with clear instructions.

May your quilting always bring you joy!

Ernie Grant
Guest Blogger For Madam Sew

Ernestine “Ernie” Grant is an avid quilter with over 17 years experience and is the owner of the custom baby quilt business www.kalibabyquilts.com. As an African American living in Harlem, NY her view of quilting is shaped by her heritage and the elders who taught her–Quilting is not just thread, fabric and stitches. It is art, it is love, it is community.