Heart Placemat with Cutlery Pockets: A Sewing & Embroidery Project

Jan 30, 2025
By Mikael Svensson

These placemats are easy to make, the blocks are made in the hoop, and the placemat is then stitched together by machine. The heart theme makes them perfect for a romantic dinner for two. Tip: The blocks are the same size as the blocks for the Sewing Machine Cover for Pfaff and Husqvarna Viking, Laptop cover and Christmas quilt.

This makes it possible to change the look of the placemat as you wish.

What you need:

Embroidery files for the hearts, find them Here
Embroidery machine and hoop size at least 170mm x100mm
Stabilizer, cut away type or fabric, like an old bed sheet. The stabilizer will not be visible on the final product.
Thin batting for the heart blocks 2 pieces 4x8” (10x20cm)
Fabric remnants for the hearts and background of the blocks.
Fabric for the front 1 piece 12,5x12,5” (32x32cm)
Fabric for the pocket (same as background of the blocks) 1 piece 4x10” (10x25cm)
Fusible batting for the front piece 12,5x12,5” (32x32cm)
Fabric for the back 14x18” (35x45cm)
Fabric for binding 2 strips 2” (5cm) wide.
Sewing thread

How to make the placemat

Stitching out the heart blocks. You need two for each placemat

Load the embroider into your machine, hoop the stabilizer, and stitch out color 1. This will make a placement line for the batting.
Place the batting on top of the stitch line, make sure it extends outside the stitched line on all sides.
Stitch out color 2, this will secure the batting in the hoop and stitch the placement lines for the different patches.
Cut away excess batting around the quilt block.
Place fabric for the heart on the first area, right side up. Make sure it extends outside the placement lines on all sides. Stitch next color (3) this will secure the first patch in place.
Cut away excess fabric, leaving approx. ¼" (6mm) seam allowance on all sides.
Place the background fabric, right side down on the raw edge between area 1 and 2, see image below for clarity. Make sure the fabric piece will cover the next area when folded out after stitching.
Stitch out color 4 this will stitch the fabric piece in place.
Fold out the fabric piece and stitch out the next color (5) this will secure the patch in the right place.
Cut away excess fabric, leaving a ¼" (6mm) seam allowance.
Place the next fabric piece on the raw edges of pieces #1-2. Make sure it will cover the #3 area when folded out.
Stitch out color 6, this will stitch the fabric piece in place.
Fold out the fabric piece and stitch out the next color (7) This will secure the fabric piece in the hoop.
Cut away excess fabric, leaving a ¼" (6mm) seam allowance.
Place the next fabric piece on the raw edge between 3 and 4, make sure it will cover area 4 when folded out. Stitch out the next color (8). This will stitch the fabric piece in place, fold out and stitch the next color (9). This secures the patch in the hoop.
Continue like this to make the whole quilt block. See images below:
When the block is sewn out remove the hoop and cut out with a 3/8” seam allowance. If the seam allowances of the pieces are smaller it does not matter since the background will be left in the block as a guide for the seam allowance.

Sewing the placemat together

Sew the pocket piece together with the heart blocks right sides together.
Fold down the pocket piece at the top of the lower heart block and topstitch close to the edge.
Place the lower heart block on top of the upper one, they should overlap each other. The finished height should be 12,5” (32cm)
Stitch together close to the edge to hold the layers together.

Finishing steps

Fuse the batting to the wrong side of the front piece.
Sew the front piece and heart panel together. The heart panel should be on the right side of the placemat.
Press the seam allowances away from the heart panel.
Place the fabric for the back on the table, wrong side up and the placemat on top, right side up.
Pin and stitch together close to the edge.
Make a topstitch close to the edge at the left side of the heart panel.
Cut away excess fabric close to the edge of the placemat.

Binding the edge of the placemat
The placemat is bound with a 3/8” (1cm) edge. You can find instructions on how to make it on Studio. Link to the instructions Here: