Sew an Appliqued Vintage Quilt Table Mat

After the gift of a tattered vintage quilt and assorted quilt pieces that a friend's mother was throwing out, I pictured an appliqued table mat that would repurpose all of these elements.

The quilt had areas that were beyond repair, so turning it into a cutter quilt and repurposing it for other projects was not a problem. The quilt pieces included a shoe box full of pieced Scottie dogs that I am sure the original quilter was preparing for a special appliqued quilt. I used the Scottie dogs for my table mat appliques, but you can, of course, use whatever shape you desire.

Vintage quilt or quilted fabric
Circle pattern
Scissors
Fabric or fabric shapes
Lightweight fusible web
Iron
Sewing machine
3/8-inch-wide, single-fold, bias tape
Straight pins

Step 1
Cut a circle from your vintage quilt or use quilted fabric for your table mat base. I used a 16-inch pizza pan for my pattern, but you can cut any size circle that will fit your dining table.

Step 2
Lay the fabric for your appliques on an ironing surface with the wrong side facing up. Place a sheet of lightweight fusible web on the fabric with the glue side down. Iron the paper backing to adhere the web to the fabric.

Step 3
Trace your applique shapes on the fusible web's paper backing. If your applique is a letter or number, trace a mirror image of the shape. Cut out the shapes.

Fusible web can easily be attached to the back of fabric appliques that have already been cut out, you just need to protect your iron and ironing surface with parchment paper.

Step 4
Place your quilt circle on your ironing surface with the right side facing up. Peel off the paper backing from the fusible web on the appliques. Arrange the appliques as desired on the circle with the right sides facing up. Iron the appliques to the circle to adhere.

Step 5
Sew a zigzag stitch around the edge of each applique to secure.

Step 6
Turn the circle with the back facing up. Place 3/8-inch-wide, single-fold, bias tape on the edge of the circle with the wrong side facing up. Fold a 1/2-inch on the end of the tape to the wrong side and press. Pin the long edge of the tape around the edge of the circle. Where the ends meet, cut the tape a 1/2-inch longer. Overlap the cut end over the folded end and pin. Sew around the pinned edge a 1/4 inch from the edge.

Step 7
Trim the seam allowance to 1/8 inch. Fold the bias tape to the front of the circle and pin. Sew around the pinned edge of the tape using a zigzag stitch.