Re-run of my guest post: Quilted coasters

In case you missed it, here's the tutorial I posted at Tatertots & Jello last week. 

 
I recently made very similar quilted pot holders, which made me think about something quilted in miniature.  Coasters!

 
These are something you can whip up in less than an hour, make a thoughtful (but super easy!) gift, and only require the most basic of sewing skills (Straight lines only, I promise!).
 
To make a set of 6 coasters, you'll need 12 squares of fabric, 4.5 inches each.  Keep in mind that 6 of your fabric squares will be the tops of the coasters and the other 6 will be the bottoms.  I chose bold prints for the tops and a charcoal gray for the bottoms.  Make them match, don't match, pick only one fabric, pick lots of pattern--whatever's your style, go for it!
 

You'll also need 6 squares of 4.5 inch batting.  Pick something super thin.  I used a fusible batting, which I love for small craft projects. 
 
Iron the batting to the wrong side of the back fabric.  If you don't use fusible batting, skip this step.
 

 
Pin, right sides together, the top fabric to the bottoms with batting.  If you didn't use fusible batting pin your layers like this:  right sides of top and bottom fabric together, with batting on top. 

 

Sew around each side, leaving a pretty wide gap for turning.  Make sure to back stitch.

 
After sewing the squares, clip each corner, being careful not to snip the line of stitches.

 
Turn the squares right side out. 

 

Poke out the corners.  I use a knitting needle, but chopsticks work great, too.  Don't use a pen or pencil or anything sharp because you'll poke right through the corner of the coaster.

 

Iron the squares.  Be sure to press in the opening.

 
After everything's ironed, topstitch along the edges of the coaster.  (Again, be sure the opening is stitched shut.)  No need to backstitch, just continue sewing over a few of your first stitches.

 
You could stop after topstitching along the edges, but to get the quilted look, line up your presser foot with your first line of stitching, and sew around, forming another square.

 
Continue doing this towards the center. 
 
Be careful when you come to the corners, so as to not ruin the graduated squares of stitching.  Go slowly when you are approaching the corner, and with your needle in the down position, turn the coaster.  After a few lines of stitching, your estimating skills will be good enough to gauge when it's time to stop stitching and turn. 

 
After you've finished stitching, trim your loose threads and you're done. 
 

 
Sit back, relax, and enjoy a nice cup of tea resting atop one of your new coasters!