How to Create a Place Mat
Creating a place mat is a simple craft that anyone can complete. While a pattern could be helpful in some cases, it is not really necessary when the process is streamlined into a few steps.
Things You'll Need
- Needle and thread
- Scissors
- 1 yard of fabric
- Pointed object like a crochet needle or butter knife
- Sewing machine
- 1 yard of fusible fleece
- Iron
Instructions
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Beginner Place Mat
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1
Choose 1 yard of any attractive fabric that would suit a beautiful place mat. Consider the room you are making the place mat for. You want colors that will compliment and improve the room.
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2
Cut six rectangles from the fabric. Each simple place mat square should measure 18 inches wide by 13 inches long.
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3
Fold each side of the rectangle under about 1/4 of an inch and hem with a needle and thread for smooth edges.
Advanced Place Mat
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4
Repeat steps 1 and 2 from Section 1: Beginner Place Mat.
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5
Cut six additional pieces of place mat fabric to make the bottom side of the place mats. Each should measure 18 inches wide by 13 inches tall.
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6
Cut six pieces of fusible fleece. Each should measure 18 inches wide by 13 inches tall.
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7
Place the fusible fleece on a work surface with the adhesive side facing up.
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8
Lay one rectangle of the place mat fabric on top of the fusible fleece with the fully-colored "right" side up. The dulled, "wrong" side of the fabric should be touching the adhesive of the fleece.
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9
Iron the place mat fabric to the fusible fleece with a simple sweeping motion.
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10
Lay a rectangle of bottom fabric over the top fabric previously ironed to the fleece. The fully-colored "right" sides should touch.
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11
Attach the sides together by pinning the corners. Stitch around the sides of your fabric leaving a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Remember to leave a four- or five-inch opening for turning the place mat right side out.
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12
Turn the place mat right side out and use a finger, crochet needle, butter knife or other simple tool to push the corners out to crisp points.
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13
Top stitch around the entire place mat keeping about 1/8 of an inch from the edge to complete the craft.
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1
Tips & Warnings
It is easy to add embellishments like buttons, fabric cut outs or other notions to transform a simple place mat into a sophisticated, personalized craft.
