Level: Intermediate

Decorate your holiday brunch table with these Hugs and Kisses placemats and hot pads. Create coordinating napkins finished with your Janome serger. Or, make the entire set for a family member or friend as a wonderful holiday gift. The instructions are for two placemats, two hot pads and two napkins, adjust yardage accordingly for more. Finished sizes are approximately 12" x 18 3/4" (placemats), 9 3/4" square (hot pads) and 17" square (napkins).

Janome Supplies Required:

• Any Janome sewing machine
• Any Janome serger
• 1/4 foot O
• Satin Stitch foot F
• Even Feed foot
• Janome Serger Thread - #60 Weight
• Janome Woolly Nylon thread
• Blue Tip needle 75/11
• Serger needle size 11

Fabric and Notions Required

• 1 1/2 yds. green cotton fabric
• 1 1/2 yds. red cotton fabric
• 2 1/4 yds. batting
• All purpose thread
• Invisible thread
• Starmaker_ 8 ruler
• Quilt ruler
• Rotary cutter
• Cutting mat
• Bias tape maker
• Washable glue stick (optional)
• Seam sealant

Fabric Preparation

1. Cut two strips 2 1/2" by the width of the red fabric.
2. Cut two strips 2 1/2" by the width of the green fabric.
3. Cut three 4 1/2" squares from the green fabric.
4. Cut three 4 1/2" squares from the red fabric.
5. Cut twelve 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" strips from the green fabric.
6. Cut twelve 2 1/2" squares from the green fabric.
7. Cut six 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" strips from the red fabric.
8. Cut four 2 1/2" x 19 1/2" strips from the red fabric.
9. Cut two 19 1/2" x 12 1/2" pieces for red fabric for placemat backing.
10. Cut four 1 1/2" x 9" strips from the red fabric for the hot pads.
11. Cut four 1 1/2" x 11" strips from the red fabric for the hot pads.
12. Cut two 10 1/2" squares from the red fabric for the backs of the hot pads.
13. Cut two 20" x 13" sections from the batting.
14. Cut two 11" squares from the batting for the hot pads.
15. Cut two 18" squares from the green cotton fabric for the napkins.

1. Set up your sewing machine for Ordinary sewing.
2. Attach the 1/4" Seam foot O.
3. Select Straight stitch #1. Adjust the length to 1.8.
4. Sew one 2 1/2" red strip to one 2 1/2" green strip down both long sides, right sides together.
5. Press sewn strips with a "dry" iron. Do not turn right side out.
6. Using Starmaker_ 8 ruler, cut approximately nineteen 2 1/2" squares.
7. Open and press seams toward the green section.
8. Repeat steps 4 - 7 for remaining 2 1/2" red and green strips.
9. Arrange pieces according to diagram for the O's. Note: You will be constructing three X's and three O's. Only two of each will be used for the placemats. Set aside the remaining X and O for the hot pads.
10. Sew the upper left hand diagonal square to the 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" green strip, right sides together.
11. Press seam as sewn and then press seam toward the green fabric.
12. Sew the upper right hand diagonal square to the opposite side of previously sewn strip. Press.
13. Sew the center left hand 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" green strip to the 4 1/2" red square. Press.
14. Sew another 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" green strip to the opposite side. Press.
15. Sew the lower left hand diagonal square to the 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" green strip. Press.
16. Sew the lower right hand diagonal square to the opposite side. Press.
17. Sew the top strip to the center strip. Press seam as sewn and then press seam away from the center square. Hint:To insure accuracy for matching up seams, dab a small amount of washable glue from a glue stick where the seams will intersect.
18. Sew the bottom strip to the opposite end of the center strip. Press.
19. Repeat for the remaining two O's.
20. Arrange "X" pieces according to the diagram.
21. Sew the upper left hand 2 1/2" green square to the diagonal square. Press.
22. Sew another diagonal square to the opposite side. Press.
23. Sew the another 2 1/2" green square to the opposite side. Press.
24. Sew the lower row of squares following steps 21 - 23. Press.
25. Sew two diagonal squares together for the center row following the diagram.
26. Repeat for opposite side of center row. Note: Be sure you are sewing the seam in the correct direction. Pin and flip to make sure it is positioned according to the diagram.
27. Sew each diagonal set to each side of the 4 1/2" green center square. Press.
28. Sew the top row to the center section. Press.
29. Sew the bottom row to the opposite end of the center section. Press.
30. Repeat for the remaining two X's.
31. Sew one 1 1/2" x 8 1/2" red strip to the right side of one "X". Press.
32. Sew one "O" to the opposite side of the red strip. Press.
33. Repeat for 2nd placemat. (Remaining blocks will be used for Hot Pads.)
34. Sew one 2 1/2" x 19 1/2" red strip to the top of the placemat. Press.
35. Sew another 2 1/2" x 19 1/2" red strip to the bottom of the placemat. Press.
36. Repeat for 2nd placemat.
37. Layer one placemat on top of one 20" x 13" piece of batting. Wrong sides together with the completed block facing up.
38. Attach the Even Feed foot. Adjust the length to 2.6.
39. Thread the needle with invisible thread.
40. Stitch in the ditch around the inside red square of the "O" and the inside legs of the "X". This will secure the batting to the top.
41. Trim away excess batting.
42. Layer the placemat on top of one of the 19 1/2" x 12 1/2" red pieces. Secure with pins.
43. Attach the Satin Stitch foot F.
44. Adjust the stitch length to 2.2 and width to 6.5.
45. Thread needle with all purpose thread.
46. Stitch around raw edges using the edge of the foot as your guide. Be sure to leave a 3" opening for turning.
47. Turn right side out and hand stitch the opening closed.
48. Stitch in the ditch around the inside border using invisible thread.
49. Repeat for remaining placemat.

1. Set up the machine for Ordinary sewing.
2. Attach the 1/4" Seam foot O.
3. Adjust the stitch length to 1.8.
4. Sew one 1 1/2" x 9" red strip to one side of the remaining "X" block created above.
5. Sew another 1 1/2" x 9" red strip to the opposite side of the "X". Press.
6. Sew one 1 1/2" x 11" red strip to the top of the "X".
7. Sew another 1 1/2" x 11" red strip to the bottom of the "X". Press.
8. Layer the "X" on one of the 10 1/2" squares of batting, wrong sides togehter.
9. Attach the Even Feed foot. Thread the needle with invisible thread.
10. Stitch in the ditch on the inside of the legs of the "X".
11. Trim away excess batting.
12. Layer the potholder and one 10 1/2" red square right sides together
13. Attach the Satin Stitch foot F.
14. Adjust the stitch length to 2.2 and width to 6.5.
15. Thread needle with all purpose thread.
16. Stitch around raw edges using the edge of the foot as your guide. Be sure to leave a 3" opening for turning.
17. Turn right side out and hand stitch the opening closed.
18. Stitch in the ditch around the inside border using invisible thread.
19. Repeat steps for the "O" hot pad. Note: When securing the "O" to the batting stitch the center of the "O" only.

1. Set up the serger for a 3-thread narrow Rolled Hem.
2. Place Janome Overlock thread in the right needle and lower looper.
3. Place Janome Woolly Nylon thread in the upper looper.
4. Adjust needle thread tension to 4, upper looper tension to 2, and lower looper to tension to 7.
5. Set the STD/RH lever to RH.
6. Set stitch length at 1, set differential feed at 1.0.
7. Test stitch on scrap fabric.
8. Start with at least a 4" thread tail. Do not cut beginning thread tails.
9. Serge each side of 18" green squares going a clockwise direction. This will give you sharp corners and prevent stacking.
10. Dab seam sealant on thread tails, cut when completely dry.