How To Make Easy Table Place Mats for Cheap

These are so simple its scary, all you have to do is sew relatively straight lines.  First thing, pick out your fabric.  The amount you need will vary depending on how many placemats you want to make and if the pattern needs to be cut a special way.  Keep that in mind when picking fabrics. Repeats also vary drastically for every fabric, when in doubt ask at the fabric store.  If you're buying their fabric they'll gladly help you.  If not, gather your information (fabric dimensions and repeat, a picture of your fabric would also be helpful) and message me, I'll figure it for ya.

I chose a plaid that my grandmother gave me, FREE!  Can't beat that.  I am making six placemats.

One of the best places to pick up yardage for projects such as this is your local thrift store.  For my top 10 Items to Grab for Unique Home Decor subscribe to my Postcard Cheat Sheet Series, today's postcard is entitled Thrift Store Gold.






Most placemats I've seen at stores measure 14"x 9".  I cut six matching pieces of fabric to that size, I am not hemming them so there's no need to cut them larger in order to have seam allowances. 

I used my sewing machine base plate as a guide and simply sew a straight stitch all around the edge, it gives me roughly a 1 1/2" fringe.  You can also measure it out and mark the fabric with a "mark-b-gone" pen or dressmakers chalk.  Heck, use a pen, you're going to sew right over the top of it anyhow.















Once you've stitched all four sides (backstitching where you start/stop) the real fun begins.  I'm lovin' fringe these days, with a sharp pair of scissors simply cut your fringe into the edges all the way around, being careful not to knick your stitch line.  I just haphazardly cut them trying to keep them fairly even and small.... This is the most time consuming part of the whole project.

Here it is with a simple stitch roughly 1 1/2" in from the edge.

  You'll end up cutting out the corners as shown.

Here they are done and ready for use.