Festive Quilted Holiday Coasters 

By Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood

The holidays are fast approaching, but there’s still time to whip up a batch of these festive quilted coasters. This stash-busting project is great for beginners, but still fun for veteran sewers who can easily take this project up a notch by treating each coaster like a mini-quilt.

---

Even though I’ve been making these simple coasters for years, I have yet to tire of them. They make great last-minute teacher and hostess gifts and justify my habit of saving the smallest of fabric scraps. 

Make a stack of them now and have them at the ready when an a friend stops by with an unexpected gift. This way you can avoid feeling like a chump and calmly smile and say: “I made these just for you.”

Supplies:

- Fabric scraps cut into strips measuring at least 4 1/2” long
- Cotton batting (You’ll need a 4 1/2” square for each coaster.)
- Backing fabric (Same as above.)
- Iron
- Sewing Machine
- Wooden dowel sharpened to a dull point for poking out corners
- Sewing scissors
*Cutting matte, rotary cutter (for quickly cutting strips)
*4 1/2” square quilting template (There are several plastic quilting templates on the market. I used Darlene Zimmerman’s “Simpli-EZ Square” by Simplicity Studio.)

*These tools are optional, but make the project go a lot faster.

Note: The directions below are to make one coaster. Repeat steps to make a stockpile.

Step 1:  Raid your fabric scrap pile for strips of fabric measuring at least an inch wide. Cut strips of a variety of fabrics in a variety of widths and stitch them together until you have a piece of fabric measuring at least 4 1/2” square. Press.

Step 2: Use a 4 1/2” square quilting template to cut a square out of the fabric created by sewing stripes together. Then cut a 4 1/2” square of cotton batting and backing fabric.

Step 3: Layer batting, then pieced coaster top right side up. Place backing fabric right side down on top of the pieced fabric. (The right sides of outer coaster layers will be facing.) Pin.

Step 4: Sew around the edge of the coaster, leaving a 1 1/2” opening for turning. (I use an 1/8” seam allowance, but feel free to use a wider seam if you prefer.) 

Step 5: Clip the corners of the coaster and turn it right side out. Press.

Step 6: Top stitch around the edge of the coaster, closing up the opening as you sew. Leave as is, or add more top stitching to define the patchwork if you desire. 

Repeat until you have a stack of four coasters. Tie with a bow and you’re ready to give a handmade gift in a pinch. Or, better yet, add interest to your own table and enjoy a set of new coasters at your next family meal. Remember it’s okay to make yourself something nice every now and then. You deserve it!

---