Santa's Snack Mat - a Christmas Mini Quilt Tutorial

Sarah Ashford has the cutest idea for today’s quilt tutorial! She created a special snack mat just for Santa Claus. What a perfect way to leave milk and cookies out for him on Christmas Eve! I love that it’s a fun take on a Christmas Mini quilt pattern. Keep reading to find out how to make one yourself.

December is finally here and excitement is mounting as we start counting down to the big day. The tree is up, the lights are on, the presents are wrapped and the stockings are hanging, waiting to be filled. But how are you going to welcome Santa into your home?

What offerings are you leaving for him and his reindeer? Nothing is more delightful and charming than seeing little ones set the table and leave treats for the big man himself. So why not add a handmade touch to this magical time with a very special Santa Snack Mat. It’s a clever take on a Christmas mini quilt!

Make his visit to your house one he’ll remember!

Santa’s Snack Mat Christmas Mini Quilt Tutorial:

Finished size: Approximately 15 ½” x 12”

Supplies for Snack Mat:

You will need:

Selection of coordinating fat eighths
Batting
Embroidery wording PDF (download here)
Embroidery Thread
Optional – Stitch and Tear
Usual sewing supplies (sewing machine, matching thread, rotary cutter, ruler etc.)

Santa Snack Mat Cutting Guide:

To make the central star cut:

One 4 ½” square
Four 3” squares in light blue
Four 3” squares in grey (background)
Four 2 ½” squares in grey

Top and bottom border:
Two 8” x 3” strips

Side borders:
13” x 4” ( You may want to make your border slightly narrower, but I’ve made mine wider as I’ve fussy cut the jumper fabric).

Backing: 17” x 14”
Binding: 60” x 1 ½” (Single fold)

Mini Quilt Assembly Directions:

First, you need to make the half square triangles (HSTs). I always like to take the approach of making them slightly bigger then trimming them up to get maximum accuracy, which is why I’ve suggested starting with 3” squares. Place two squares (one blue, one grey) right sides together, and pin in place. Draw a line down the centre from one corner to the other and stitch a ¼” seam either side of the line.

Using a rotary cutter, cut down the drawn line and open our the HST blocks. Repeat for the remaining 3” squares.

You will notice that they still have the ‘ears’ on them and remember they were too big, so we need to accurately trim them down. Fold the square in half and mark a crease at the edge on the halfway point. Place your ruler at the 1 ¼” position on this crease and trim.

Rotate the square and trim all four sides, then repeat with all the HST blocks. Press.

Stitch the top and bottom points of the stars together and then stitch them to the central part of the star, referring to the photo to orientate the points in the right direction.

Stitch the left and right points of the star together, and add the corner squares.

Add the top and bottom borders then add the side borders.

Embroidery Steps:

The next section is the embroidery. Print off the lettering and either place behind the fabric or use a light box and trace the letters onto the fabric with a pencil. You may wish to attach some ‘Stitch n’ Tear’ interfacing to the back of the panels to be stitched at this point, just to reinforce the fabric and make it a bit more stable for embroidery.

Using an embroidery thread in your chosen colour, stitch a neat backstitch over the pencil lines. Choose a colour that compliments the fabrics; I’ve gone for a hot pin, like one of the jumpers.

To backstitch, bring your needle up from the back and take it down about 3mm ahead. Come up about 3mm ahead and go back down where the first stitch ended. Repeat in this way to complete the lettering.

If you’ve used the Stitch n’ Tear, you can now carefully tear it away.

Finishing:

Press the fabric all over and make a quilt sandwich with the backing fabric, batting and pieced top. I like to use spray baste but you can use basting pins if you prefer. Quilt as desired. I’ve kept mine simple as not to detract from the fabric motifs and I’ve also avoided stitching over the embroidery.

Trim up and join your binding strips together. I like to do mine on the diagonal for a professional looking finish.

Stitch the binding to the front of the mat by machine, then turn over and hand stitch it down to the back using a small slip stitch and matching thread.

Now your mat is finished! All you need to do now is find some snacks for Santa. I’ve made some homemade cookies! And don’t forget to leave a carrot for the reindeer!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas,

Sarah x

About the Maker:

Sarah Ashford is a British Quilter and embroiderer and founder of the GreatBritishQuilter challenge on Instagram. Sarah regularly contributes projects to magazines and loves to spread the joy of quilting everywhere she goes. Follow her on Instagram at @sarahashfordstudio and be sure to check out her beautiful sewing room decals in her Etsy shop www.etsy.com/shop/sarahashfordstudio