Quilted Drink Coaster Tutorial

Along with the hanging kitchen towels, my mama requested another item for around the house that I made several years ago: quilted drink coasters. They’re great to have around for drinks because they’re lightweight, don’t scratch any surfaces, and easy to toss in a pile or in a drawer to store… and if you make your own, they’re great for using up batting scraps and (of course) they’re super customizable to fit your decor style.

The last time I posted a tutorial for these coasters on my blog, it was 2011 and I was a sewing newbie. I’d still put myself in the amateur category, but I’ve also learned a few tips and tricks that make little projects like these a breeze.

It’s about time for a refresh, so here’s a quick updated tutorial!

Quilted Drink Coasters

Supplies for 1 Drink Coaster

(1) 5″ x 10″ piece of fabric
(1) 4″ x 4″ square of batting
rotary cutter
sewing machine

In a nutshell, you’re folding a rectangle in half, sewing up three of the sides and turning it inside out, stuffing some batting into the middle, and quilting it closed.

See, super duper simple!

Step 1: Cut fabric to 5″ x 10″. Cut a 4″-square piece of batting.

It helps if you choose adorable fabric, like these Cotton + Steel cats.

Step 2: Fold the fabric in half so the right sides are facing together. With a 1/4″ seam, sew along the three open sides of the fabric, leaving two inches open on the third side.

Step 3: Turn the fabric inside out through the open hole. Use something pointy (like a knitting needle or pencil) to poke the corners out. Stuff the square of batting through the open hole. This part is fiddly, but the best technique I found was the roll the batting square in half, insert it through the hole, and then match the corners of the batting to the corners of the fabric square. Don’t worry about perfection, but try to get the batting as smooth as possible inside.

Step 4: Tuck the fabric around the open hole inside, and use a clip or pin to hold the fabric in place. I also gave the coasters a quick press with the iron at this point to help the fabric lay flat.

Step 5: Time to quilt! Starting at one corner adjacent to the side with the open hole, sew a seam about 1/8″ from the side. The first round is the most important, to make sure the hole is sewn closed, so take your time. Continue sewing in concentric squares, or any other design you wish.

Ta da! These are fun to make in big batches.

I made a set for my Mama that match the hanging kitchen towels, and some for my own home to replace our old stone coasters that were chipped and stained.

I’ve still got a little pile to work on when I have time… you can never have too many of these coasters in every room of the house!

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And since it’s Throwback Thursday… here are a couple pics from the original tutorial in 2011. I’m still using my iPhone but boy, the quality sure has improved in six years!