How to Make Heart Shaped Place Mats

Heart shaped placemats can add the perfect touch to your Valentine’s day table, or provide a special way to say I love you for an anniversary, birthday or any day. You can make the heart placemats from fancy fabric, such as red satin, for an elegant look, or use a sweet or whimsical cotton such as a calico print with pink hearts. For each placemat, you’ll need 1/2 yard of fabric and one package of extra wide double-fold bias tape.

Things You'll Need

• Large paper
• Pencil
• Scissors
• Red or pink fabric
• Double-fold bias tape
• Matching thread
• Fusible interfacing
• Straight pins
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Cut a square of paper about 18 inches wide, or a little larger than you want the placemat. If you don’t have paper large enough, you can tape several sheets together.

2. Fold the paper in half. Draw half a heart along the folded edge of the paper. Cut along the line, and unfold the paper.

3. Fold the fabric in half right sides together. Pin the paper heart to the fabric and cut around it. Use the paper heart pattern to cut one heart from fusible interfacing.

4. Place the interfacing on the wrong side of one piece of fabric, with the bumpy side of the interfacing toward the fabric. Line up the edges of the heart, then iron the interfacing to the fabric.

5. Place the fabric hearts together with the right sides of the fabric facing out and the interfacing in the middle. Pin the layers together.

6. Place the end of the double-fold bias tape over the pointed end of the heart, with the fold of the bias tape covering the edge of the fabric. Pin the end of the bias tape to the fabric, making sure to catch both the front and back of the bias tape in the pin.

7. Wrap the bias tape all the way around the edge of the placemat, pinning it in place as you go. Make sure the bias tape lies flat, especially between the curves at the top of the heart.

8. Cut the end of the bias tape, leaving about 1/2 inch extra. Tuck the ends of the bias tape under and press the end flat. Pin the end of the bias tape to the pointed end of the heart, covering the other end of the bias tape.

9. Sew the bias tape to the placemat using matching thread.

Tips & Warnings

• For an extra decorative look, you can sew a ribbon with a heart print or lace trim to the edge of the heart shaped placemat, on top of the bias tape.

• Use caution when working with scissors, pins, irons and sewing machines.