Fabric Coasters - A Quick and Easy Sewing Project Perfect for Beginners

I love to sew and have loved to sew since I was about 7-years-old.  I started with hand sewing and then moved on to an old Singer cabinet model which I loved. One Christmas when I was in high school I asked for-and got-a 'modern' Singer sewing machine.  That gift propelled me into larger sewing projects-pure joy! When I was 21 I received a great present - a fully computerized Singer with every bell & whistle...oh how I loved that machine.  In the past few years with the major changes in my life the Singer sat idle & I am sure it missed me terribly.  We {the machine & I} had become accustomed to weekly if not daily time together & now....it just sat....carefully cased with love waiting for me to find my way to it once again.  A few months ago I decided enough was enough and I was going to break out my old friend and go on a mini sewing rampage.  I opened the case, threaded my 'baby', turned it on....and....*insert giant alligator tears* it made a horrible noise....the sound of metal on metal, grinding, churning....and then...crunching.  It was broken....I cried.... and even worse....the cost of repairing it was way out of my league....so I gently tucked it away waiting for the day when I can get it fixed.  In the meantime, my wonderful family pitched in and bought me a basic Brother sewing machine for Christmas *insert huge smile*.  I was so afraid to use my new machine-I am Operator Manual challenged-but forged ahead, took it out of the box last week & practiced stitches, threading etc.  I love my new machine.  I undertook my first project today-fabric coasters.  Nothing overwhelming-just a basic project but wow...did it make me happy!

This is a quick & easy project-I hope you enjoy it as well!

Fabric Coasters

¼ yard of 45" wide fabric {this will make 6 - 6 ½" square coasters}

¼ yard muslin for backing {or you can use another decorative fabric and make these reversible}

¼ yard Insul-Bright - this is a GREAT product*

1.  Wash, dry and iron your fabric.

2.  Cut the fashion fabric, backing & Insul-Bright into 6- 7 ½" squares

3.  Layer the muslin, fashion fabric face down and Insul-Bright with the reflective side towards the wrong side of the fashion fabric.

4.  Stitch ½" around the coaster leaving approximately a 2" opening in the bottom center so that you can turn your coaster right side out through this opening.

5.  Trim the Insul-Bright close to the stitching & cut the corners at an angle.

6.  Once turned right side out, press your coaster turning in the bottom raw edges and whip-stitching closed.

7.  Stitch a border ½" in- this helps to stabilize the coaster for holding drinks, etc.

I placed a ribbon around a bundle of the coasters along with a tag for gift giving.

hugs, mb

*Insul-Bright ~ Insul~Bright consists of hollow, polyester fibers needlepunched through a nonwoven substrate and through a reflective metalized poly film. The needled material is breathable and won’t break down with washing. The hollow fibers resist conduction while the reflective metalized poly film resists radiant energy. The energy, hot or cold, is reflected back to its source.