When I saw the fabulous turkey prints in the Benartex Harvest Festival line, my mind immediately went to fussy cutting the turkeys. I knew I wanted a project to showcase those turkeys, along with the feather prints. Placemats for the Autumn table that would work all the way to Thanksgiving seemed like a good plan.
I began with my 6-1/2-inch square ruler to figure out which turkeys I could get in their entirety with the half-yard of fabric I had.
I made a gaggle of flying geese from the dark feather print so I could set the turkeys on point.
The No-Waste Method makes four geese at once.
Using a Wing Clipper Tool makes trimming fast and easy. Trim by placing the point in the crossed diagonal lines where there is a bit of overhang past the final trimmed size.
Turn the goose around and finish trimming by placing bottom on the 3-1/2-inch line and the point in the marked diagonal lines where they cross. Final size 3-1/2 x 6-1/2 inches.
Place the flying geese units around the fussy cut turkeys to create the illusion of the block being on point. Place background 3-1/2-inch squares in the corners. Sew in rows using the web method.
Press the geese on the top and bottom to the outside and the center row to the inside so the seams nest and the least amount of bulk is created.
The turkey block is 12-1/2 inches square at this point.
Add sidebars of light feather print 3-1/2-inches wide x 12-1/2 inches high. This will bring the placemats to 12-1/2 x 18-1/2, a nice size for a table.
Make 4.
Quilt all at once if you have a longarm, or individually on a domestic machine. I put mine on the longarm, and stitched down the edges, then quilted across two at once. This pantograph is a favorite for fall with pumpkins and leaves.
Make binding. For contrast, I used the darker print. Since I had limited fabric, and these were small items, I cut the strips on the straight of grain rather than bias.
Apply as you like. I like to sew to the top, then turn to the back and finish by hand. You can sew to the back first, then turn to the top and finish by machine.
I did all four, sewing to the top first.
Be sure you use a quarter-inch binding so you do not cut off any of the points.
I took them to my chair to finish by hand while I watched football games. I know many of you find this tedious, but I find it relaxing, like a meditation.
Here we are, four placemats perfect for fall and Thanksgiving. Download the pdf with cutting instructions and assembly – Turkey Talk Placemats.
Each one showcases a different turkey.
You could make six or more with a bit more fabric.
North Carolina based, Backside Fabrics will send a lucky winner a gift certificate to their online store worth $50!! See their high quality fabrics (including some luscious prints from Benartex) and What’s New section. Which one of their new fabric lines do you like for a backing for your next quilt?
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From My Carolina Home 
I enjoy your tutorials for placemats! Thank you! I think all of the backings are great, but I believe the Hometown Heirloom in Sea Glass would make a fun backing for my next large quilt.
Wouldn’t the Bohemian leaves fabric be beautiful with your so cute turkey placemats. I love Backside fabrics and have been a customer for many years!
So many lovely choices! I have pattern and fabric to make a yellow and blue quilt and think something from the FreeSpirit collecti
Love the Stonehenge wide backs. So many to choose from
I think the swirly backs would go with just about everything.
What a nice shop. My favorite new product is “Arrival of Winter Gear”.
Snazzy Spirals looks like the perfect choice for an upcoming project. So beautiful!
I like the Moon scales collection. It would be great for backing a modern quilt I am making for my daughter.
So many great fabrics to choose from! I love the Golden Lily Autumn by Morris & Co. I also have a heart quilt in my to be made pile, so the Lighthearted fabrics would be great for it.
The Sew What and Sew it Goes from Dear Stella Designs would be the perfect back for a quilt which will remain in my sewingroom…
Thanks for your beautiful tutorials!
So many exceptionally lovely quit backs to choose from. Love Head in the Clouds. I’ve been looking for the perfect whimsical backing for a top I just finished. This could be it. Thanks for introducing me to this shop.
I love your patterns! They are always clear & easy to follow. I particularly like using the flying geese to give the appearance of a square in a square you did in these placemats.
I’m going to need a Backing for a Quilt of Valor I just finished and think the Dappled Leaf Wide Quilt Back Black Multi would be perfect!
I would like to order material with turkeys on. Where can I do this?
It is a current fabric line in stores now. Fat Quarter Shop didn’t have it, so check with your local quilt shop, or do a search online for Benartex Fall Festival.
I would like to use the lovely Sketchbook quilt backing.
I love Stonehenge wide backs!
I swear I get the best tension with my longarm on the Stonehenge quilts
The Ombré Black Granite is beautiful
The Jardin by Dear Stella would be perfect for the quilt I’m working on now. Cute placemats!
I really like Golden Lily Autumn Wide Quilt Back by The Original Morris & Co. The colors are fabulous!
I love Arrival of Winter!
Great placemat design! Thanks for the quick tutorial! As for the wide backs they are all great, but I like the variety in Dan Morris’ Got Your Back collection ! Especially, Circle Medallion!
Carole what beautiful placemats and a fun design that seems simple and quick. I’m infatuated with batiks and trying to figure out something similar to do with the Timeless Treasures Bohemian leaves! So pretty and would look wonderful with your turkeys!
Now that we are back in the house, I’m looking at the need for different table toppers and table runners as well as couch and bed quilts to fit the Coastal Carolina color palette. The Sketchbook line caught my eye. While the red & white combination first drew me in, I know the teals would work well for the new projects.
Carole, we call our place Gobbler’s Knob. Your placemats are right up our alley!
Connie W.
Like how you put the turkey placemats together!
Good to know about Back Side Fabrics! They have one of the best selections of wide backings I’ve seen. I do many patriotic quilts for Honor Flight veterans. Timeless Treasures USA Stars would be perfect for backing on these and leftovers could be used for borders and binding for future quilts.
Appreciate the sponsors and the energy you put into Autumn Jubilee!
Jo Anne Seccurra
Love the placemats. Thanks for the tutorial.
I LOVE the Bohemian leaves ..Tonga moss backing fabric …I have the perfect quilt for that beautiful batik fabric 💕….
The placemats are really clever using fussy cut ….a special addition when family comes over …or an easy housewarming gift !!
Beautiful job Carole !!
I love the symmetrical floral tiles wide back. It would be great to work with
I love the symmetrical floral tiles wide back. It would be great to work with
Timeless Treasures Forest Trees. Oh, the blues and greens together are beautiful. I need this in my stash! Thank you Back Side Fabrics for the generous giveaway!
Your turkey placemats are so much fun, Carole! I don’t have any turkey prints in my stash, but I know where the nearest quilt shop is, lol! The Backside Fabric wide backings always appeal to me. I like the new Sketchbook line in any color!
Those turkey fabrics are beautiful and make such lovely placemats. I’ve been using Backside since you introduced us to them several years ago. They are great with super fast delivery too. I really liked their Bohemian batik and actually recently received my order.
Cossette designers in blue multi is beautiful, and I would use it for my next large quilt backing.
The Kaffe and Opulent Floral are both beautiful backings! Your turkey place mats are really nice–great Fall prints!!
That turkey print is unbelievably fantastic and I love the finished place mats. (Hopefully no one drips something dark on the white edges… that might be a problem in our world!) The detail on those turkeys is just wonderful and I love the use of the feather fabrics for the geese and the edges. These are spectacular, Carole!
Cute placemats to make for fall/Thanksgiving.
So many beautiful wide fabrics to choose from. I think the Arrival of Winter Gear fabric would be fun on a quilt.
Thanks – you always make something so spectacular and then break it down to be easily assembled. Great for those fabrics with big patterns. Thanks!
I love the Moda collection Lighthearted and would use either the cream or the aqua.
Love the placemat design! And would choose the Free Spirit -Golden Lilly Autumn by the original Morris & co! So lovely!!
Backside Fabrics has a great selection of wide backs! The new one that I think I would use a lot is 108″ Bio-Geo 3 Collection Ice Frolic Wide Quilt Back White on White.
Thanks for all the inspiration you are sharing on your blog. I just love autumn things!
I love the fabric, Carole! Another great tutorial.
Love your placemats! I .would love to use either the fluidity or sketchbook fabrics. Which color way would depend on the top. I also think that the neutral sketchbook would make a fabulous background fabric.
I like the Golden Lily Autumn Wide Quilt Back By Free Spirit Fabrics. (First Time I have been to the Backside Fabrics site.)
I like the modern feel of Dear Stella Moonscape. I love those placemats. Like you, I love to bind quilts.
There are several of the wide backings that I like, yet the P&B Textiles Fluidity Blue/Teal is the one that speaks to me. As I am going through several medical issues, the blue/teal reminded me of a stormy sea with waves crashing whatever is in their way ~ the way I’m feeling at the moment. At the same time, I can see some gentle faces in the waves and it is a calming piece and gives me peace.
Backside fabrics always has the perfect backing for my quilt and the Bohemian Leaves is the perfect choice for my Autumn quilt. Carole, I like your block pattern for so many fabrics I have in my stash.
The Tranquil Flannel 3 Leaves and Vines would be fantastic for a fall quilt.
I like the dappled leaves in blue/multi by Studio E. Thanks!
I love the Dan Morris Circle Medallion! Love your placemats.
My choice is the USA Stars (blue) Tonga Batik
I need fall placemats! These are fabulous
I like the northcott stone henge blue planet backing. I like the ombre and gravitate to blues. Another great sponsor
The placemats are fabulous! I love the Arrival of Winter Gear – in Navy Blue! One of my favorite colors and I have fabric to make a winter quilt!
I would like either the Dappled Leaf Wide Quilt Back Black/Charcoal or the Navy.
I am looking for a backing for a boy baby quilt now so Sketchbook inBlue/Teal appeals to me. Such cute placemats! Everyone will have their favorite turkey!
That turkey fabric is fantastic! I love watching turkeys, especially when the fellows start to strut their stuff and show off those tail feathers.
I love the Fluidity wide back fabrics. It is busy yet has a neutral feel so it could be used on most any quilt. Thanks for sharing the turkey placemat directions.
Backside Fabrics – so happy to learn about them! The Northern Peaks fabric caught my eye.
Sea sisters Urchin Salt was my favorite.
I’ve been wanting to do a black and white quilt so I think the Sketchbook fabric in black/silver would be a perfect backing for that project. I have ordered from Back Side Fabrics before and it is excellent quality.
The placemats are fabulous! I think I will make some for my sister who loves to entertain 🙂 I love the Fluidity Wide Quilt Back Blue/Teal. It reminds me of the ocean.
Sea sisters urchins looks flexible enough for the backing for many quilts! Jeani McGrath
Carol Olszewski
I like the Fluidity line. I wasn’t familiar with this company before.
I was browsing through the sale backings and found the most perfect backing for another quilt for my Mom. She loves flowers and gardens but now is a snowbird, so no garden for her. I made her a flower garden quilt with a picket fence around it and the Butterfly Collector Ivy in Ivory would be the cat’s meow for the back of that quilt. Would love to get my hands on it.
Fun use of the Turkeys.
I like the 106″ Tri-Exotic Leaf Extra Wide Tonga Batik Quilt Back Reef.
Carla from Arizona
I think I would like “Sketchbook” for a backing. So cute and a variety of colors!
LOVE your placemats!! Backside Fabrics has lots of beautiful choices. The 108″ Sew What and Sew it Goes Collection Wide Quilt Back caught my eye today.
Thank you for the placemat tutorial…I don’t have turkey fabric but I have Halloween fabrics so I’m going to make 4 of those in the next 2 weeks! I love the flannel 108″ wide backing 3 Leaves and Vines in beige on Backside Fabrics website. I have a flannel top ready to quilt and would really like flannel on the back as well. I so hate to piece a backing so I tend to find affordable extra-wide backings.
That is such a nice placemat. Thank you. I love Backside Fabrics and have long been a follower. I just love their new line Fluidity especially the Light Pink, which I’d have to say is my favorite.
I really like this pattern for placemats! It could be used for any holiday with switch-out for the turkey, of course! I am a repeat customer at Backside Fabrics and love their super selection. In the What’s New category, I’d choose 108″ Lighthearted Wide Quilt Back Red…I’m sure there will be a Valentine project or two that I could use this on.
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