You'll need

1.3m heavy cotton fabric at least 1.3m wide
1.3m cream fabric at least 1.31m wide
70cm bright patterned fabric for applique
70cm iron-on interfacing
Brother embroidery card No. 37
Machine embroidery needle No. 80/12
Four different coloured embroidery threads
Machine thread, bobbin thread
Materials: small scissors, glue, marking pen, pins, hand sewing needle.

Here's how

1. Wash fabric and dry.
2. Iron interfacing to wrong side of print fabric.
3. Following the instructions that come with the embroidery card, stitch out all the applique shapes (or see hints below). Cut out shapes close to stitching.
4. Mark a 120cm square on the cream fabric. Divide the square into 36 equal squares, six squares across and six down. Add a 1cm seam allowance to your 120cm square.
5. Place the cream fabric in the embroidery hoop and continue steps to stitch down applique shapes. Mix your embroidery thread colours to give a colourful finish. You can also rotate your letters in the layout section of your embroidery machine. Cut away excess fabric.
6. To make the corner loops, cut four strips 20 x 5cm from the backing fabric. Press strips in half, lengthways, and press under a 12mm hem on each long side. Topstitch along both sides. Pin a loop to each corner of the mat, right sides facing, with loops lying towards the centre of the mat.
7. Cut a 121cm square of backing fabric. Lay the backing and applique fabrics together, right sides facing, and stitch a 1cm seam around the outer edge. Leave a 15cm opening to turn through.
8. Turn through, hand stitch opening closed and press. Topstitch around square 1cm from the finished edge.
9. To hold the front and back of the mat together make a few machine- or hand-stitches in the centre of each applique letter.

Hints

* If you don't have an embroidery machine you can still make this project quite easily. Simply make your letter templates by tracing each large letter onto thick paper or cardboard. Iron on Vliesofix to your printed applique fabric and then trace your letter templates on the wrong side. Cut out and peel away paper showing sticky side. Placing sticky side down on main mat fabric press with an iron and stitch a wide satin stitch around the raw edges.

• When you are tracing letters to the wrong side of fabric remember to mirror the letter so when you turn it over you have it the correct way.

Source: All Sewn Up. More projects.
Sponsored by Brother International sewing machines. www.brother.com.au