Pumpkin Placemat

With Utensil Holder

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Page 1: supplies & pumpkin
go to page 2: assembly

Designer: Christina Sherrod

Depending on choice of fabric, this pattern would make a beautiful placemat for Fall, Halloween or Thanksgiving! Children won't mind setting the table when they can tuck utensils into the pumpkin. 

Also see:
Holiday Patterns
Kitchen Patterns
Halloween Patterns
Thanksgiving Patterns

The finished placemat measures 13" high by 19" long.

Fabric

NOTE:For main and backing fabric, you need 40.5" in length (13.5" x 3), so 1 1/4 yard (45") allows for shrinkage. You need a fabric that is at least 39" wide (19.5" x 2). Quilt fabrics usually come at least 42" wide, which allows for shrinkage. Placemat main fabric: 1 1/4 yard of 42" width fabric

Placemat main fabric: 1 1/4 yard of 42" width fabric
Placemat backing fabric: 1 1/4 yard of 42" fabric
Batting or felt or fusible fleece: 1 1/4 yard of 42" wide material (or enough for six 13" x 19" placemats). TIP: Fusible fleece or batting makes layering your placemats quick and easy. Just fuse to your fabric top, then add the backing.
Pumpkin: 1/2 yard of 42" width fabric (you need a width of 12" so 18" allows for shrinkage)
Pumpkin Face Pieces fabric: 1/4 yard of 42" width fabric (I used black)
Binding (optional): enough to go around your placemats. For 2" binding strips, you will need 1/2 yard of binding fabric.

I made placemats from the purple fabric, plus a couple extra out of the leaf print.

Other

1/4 yard of fusible web - such as Wonder Under, Heat N Bond Lite etc. (optional, but nice because it holds the face pieces in place)

Sewing Supplies

thread
sewing scissors
quilting pins
large sewing ruler
fabric marking pencils
seam ripper
rotary cutter and mat (optional but nice)

Pattern

Our pattern will download as a pdf file. If you need instructions on using pdf files, go to:
 PDF Instructions. 

Download Pumpkin Pattern

All seams are 1/4"

Follow the layout & cutting instructions on the right for your top fabric, backing and felt or batting.

The photograph shows my placemat tops, stacked together.

Fold the pumpkin fabric in half. Use the pumpkin pattern to cut out six pumpkins, cutting through both layers. Add 1/4" seam allowance around each pumpkin.

Pin each pumpkin's layers together, with one pin at the top.

NOTE: I moved the"x" marks out a bit further after this photo was taken.

Using sharp scissors, cut out the paper face pieces from the paper pumpkin pattern. Set the paper face pattern pieces aside. The cut out areas on the pumpkin pattern can be used later as a guide for face piece placement on the pumpkins.

I placed the face pattern pieces onto the pumpkin to show you how it will look later.

Following the manufacturer's instructions, iron a piece of fusible web to the wrong side of the fabric that will be used for the eyes, nose and mouth (I used black). Place the face pattern pieces on the paper side of the fusible web, right side down, and trace around each face piece. Trace enough for six face sets. Cut out the face pieces from the fabric.

Cut enough face sets for six pumpkins. I marked my eye pieces "L" for left and "R" for right. It doesn't really matter for this pattern whether you lay the pattern pieces right side down, but it does matter for many designs, so it is a good habit to get into.

Remove the paper backing from all face pieces. Using the paper pattern as a guide, place the face pieces onto a pumpkin. I actually placed the paper pattern over the pumpkin to be sure my pieces were placed correctly. You do not have to follow my placement, but I wanted to keep my faces somewhat uniform. Press with iron (following fusible web manufacturer's instructions).

This step is optional. I stitch the pieces onto the pumpkin because fusible adhesive alone can come off over time. It holds well, but washings can loosen edges. Also, the satin stitching keeps the fabric edges from fraying.

Remove the pin that holds the pumpkin layers together. Place a piece of stabilizer under the pumpkin face (wrong side of pumpkin). Using an applique foot on your sewing machine (with a zig-zag needle plate), choose the zig-zag stitch. Set your machine for a narrow stitch with short stitch length. I use a stitch width of 2.5 and a length of .4 or .5. The correct settings might be different for your machine. These settings create a nice satin stitch on my machine. Stitch a satin stitch around each face piece.

Cut away any excess stabilizer that goes beyond the pumpkin edges.

Pin the two pumpkin layers right sides together.

Stitch around the perimeter, using a 1/4" seam allowance. Leave a 2" area open at the bottom center for turning right side out.

Turn right side out. Press. Press under the raw edges of the open area across the bottom. Top stitch between the two "x" marks on the top of the pumpkin (refer to pattern), stitching close to the edge - approximately 1/8" from the edge. Do NOT topstitch beyond those marks. In the next step, the pumpkin will be stitched to the placemat along the two sides and across the bottom.

If you wish to leave the bottom of the pumpkin open when placed on the placemat (only the sides of the pumpkin would be stitched to the placemat), topstitch between the bottom "x" marks as well.

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Page 1: supplies & pumpkin
go to page 2: assembly