Looking for help for mini mat project
 

Hi everybody,
I volunteered to make new mats to go under the mikes used by our condo board. I thought it would give me some quilting practice and replacements are badly needed. They will be about 8" by 8" and I need to make 8. Am I better off quilting one big piece and cutting it down or sandwiching eight little mats? I will bind each one. (More practice!) But won't hand sew the binding.
Thanks in advance,
lots2do

I would do as a large and then cut down and then do a tight zig zag around edge--the 8x8" will be little tricky to bind.

I just made pot holders that were 8 X 8, just did cross hatch quilting and then bound them by machine with no problems. Here is a pic of them[ATTACH=CONFIG]547947[/ATTACH]

If you made a quilt sandwich that is the size of all eight mats your need and drew the squares on the sandwich it would give you opportunity to quilt something different in each square. Cut them apart with your rotary cutter and you will have straight edges and square corners to bind. If you try to do intricate quilting (practicing FMQ) on eight inch squares you will not be able to keep them square and easy to bind. Generally, when people make pot holders the quilting is very simple-lines or crosshatching. They are most often made a little larger than the finished size and cut down to facilitate binding.

Thank you all! I can always count on the Quilting Board!
lots2do

I think this one nailed it. this is way I would do it. Or do 4 at a time. Less space.

I would make a large quilt sandwich and just quilt something simple like crosshatching. Binding an 8" square isn't that difficult. That is larger than my mug rug I make.

Hello again!
I've finally made my eight mats. Now I'm ready to bind them. Would you go the regular double binding route or single? I want them to look as nice as possible. I have plenty of binding fabric on hand and don't mind using it up.
Thanks!

I use my regular double fold binding method on the mug rugs and pot holders. For that matter, I use it for wall-hangings, too. Don't think I've ever used single.

Thanks for your reply.
I think I will do that since it's the only way I've done it.
Have a good night.

I got them done! I tried out glueing the binding for the first time which was so great. Also used a stiletto more than I ever had while using a bunch of decorative stitches that I either have never used or seldom used. I learned a lot on this project and made my deadline. (The best thing was that it got me back in the sewing room).
Thanks for your help!