Courthouse Rows Placemats
This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share a commission.It is time to share the Courthouse Rows placemats that I recently finished.
Can you believe that I made 9 of the Courthouse Rows placemats! I actually need to make one more for my coffee group of ladies but I have about a year until I’ll need it as that is when it will be my turn to host it again.
I forgot to get a picture of everyone at the table, darn it!
I have to admit that I love the Dollar Tree store! I went there to get a couple of tablecloths and came home with fall coffee cups, glasses, paper plates, candy dishes, and the tablecloths. Everything matched and looked beautiful.
Courthouse Rows Placemats
I have had these fabric license plates for a long time and decided it was time to make something with them. What to make? Placemats!
Several years ago there used to be Row by Row Experience quilt shop blog hops and you could buy a fabric license plate from the different stores. I tried to look online to see if this was still going on but couldn’t find any information. I think 2019 was the last year.
If you have any, this would be a great way to use them. If not, don’t worry – just use a solid piece of fabric in the center instead.
Courthouse Rows Placemat with solid fabric center
For each Courthouse Rows placemat, you will need the following:
- Cream solid – 4½-inch x 8-inch rectangle
- Assorted 1¼-inch strips of colorful fabric
- Fabric for binding and backing
I can’t give any yardage as I used a leftover jelly roll and also added in some fabric from my stash. This jelly roll was used for my Jelly Belly Bars quilt.
Jelly roll strips are 2½-inches wide and I cut them in half to make 1¼-inch strips. My plan was to use the same fabric on either the sides of the placemat or the top and bottom.
Since I was using leftover fabrics, what I did was lay a fabric either on the side or the top and then cut it into the 1¼-inch strip a little longer than that size.
Use a ¼-inch seam allowance and stitch and trim after sewing.
Continue adding the strips around the placemats.
I started out adding the top and bottom strips first. Before too long I had short pieces so I started sewing the sides first.
It doesn’t matter what you do just be sure and continue adding the strips in the same way.
13½-inch by 17-inch Placemats
Each placemat has 6 rows added to each side and 5 rows added to the top and bottom.
Here are all nine of my Courthouse Rows placemats ready to be quilted.
Once you have the placemats all pieced, add batting and backing and then quilt as desired. I did a simple free-motion meandering and I really should have pinned my pieces together.
Somehow I ended up with a placemat, batting, another placemat, and then the backing! I didn’t notice until it was all done and I even caught one corner of the backing twice.
Good thing I have a seam ripper! I think it took me longer to unpick this placemat than to quilt all the rest of them!
I used the same fabric for the binding on all of the placemats and sewed them completely by machine.
It is always fun to see the back of a quilted project. This is the one with the plain center which I quilted. For the other placemats, I left the center unquilted.
I had clear glass plates that I used. To make it easy, I just dished up the cake and ice cream on the paper plates and then brought them out to the table and placed them on the glass plates.
The leaves are falling and I love seeing the colors changing.
I changed out the flowers in the vase under the maple tree, hmm looks like my bench is a little lopsided.
I hope this has given you some ideas for more placemats! Be sure and take a look at my Jelly Belly Bars quilt and find out how to get the free pattern!
Great deals for you!
Looking for great buys on fabric and things? Check out these links
Connie
Thank you for sharing your patterns. I used this pattern to make a set of placemats with tractor print material. My first entry in our county fair and won a First Place Ribbon.
Well, Connie, I’m blown away again. These placemats are so “happy”. Thank you.
Hope moving went smoothly. Bless you in your new digs!!
A few years ago I bought license plate yardage and made a throw quilt. It had all the states and cute sayings.
Connie Dear your placemats and Fall table decor look so inviting. I would love to sit and sip with you. Thank you for always being so generous and helpful in sharing your tutorials and techniques.
That’s a great idea! I have a few of those license plates that I should use. The courthouse steps is perfect for them.
Our fall has been cooler than normal. We haven’t even had the Santa Ana winds that we normally get in September and October. Weird weather!
Excellent idea and use of those Row by Row pieces. I too collected those from various shops and have them stashed somewhere??? This has given me an excellent idea of what to do with mine. I generally know when the row by row takes place and can forward that information to you if and when the shops begin in 2021. I know they did one in 2020.
Hi Connie, I love fall too. Your placemats are so bright and
cheerful. You’re getting more done than I am! 😁
Lovely! Great job Connie! Happy almost Fall! Some leaves are just starting to change here. Can’t wait to go the the Bala Falls Cranberry Festival!
Thanks for the placemat pattern Connie! Row by Row Experience changed to Quilters Trek. Read about it here:
https://quilterstrek.com/?page_id=19544
Hi, Connie I’m in the middle of moving right now, but as soon as I get my sewing room set up (yeah)I don’t have one now but I will, I am going to make those placemats. Thanks for sharing with us. ❤️
I have a whole project box filled with those license plates from several years of Row By Row. I’ve used a couple of them on bags, but actually have a quilt started with a bunch more. It’s on my UFO Challenge list because of course I set it aside to work on other things. LOL Seeing your placemats makes me ready to get them out again.
Each time we have moved I have pulled them out and decided it was finally time to do something with them. Have fun with yours Sara!
Dear Connie, I love your placemats. Where did you get that darling license plate fabric? What a cute idea. I have been working on my half finished projects from the quilting retreat trying to finish them up. We will be having rain this weekend. I don’t think your chair is crooked I think the tree is crooked. Lol. ❤️😎Ellen
Hi Ellen, they were from the Row by Row Experinces that quilt shops took part in. Unfortunately they have stopped doing this. It is definitely my chair that is crooked LOL, will try and fix it today.
Connie, I just got off of Saltwaterfabrics.com and they have the Row by Row fabric on clearance. I ordered some and thought you might be interested. I can’t hardly wait to make some place mats. Sherrill
What a great idea for those license plates! I have a stack of them from years past too, not to mention lots of 2 1/2″ strips leftover from all kinds of projects. Thanks for sharing your tutorial!
Thanks Carol, I wish I had more of the license plates!
I love your placemats. The Fall scene with your flowers and mats outside are so pretty.