How to Make a Placemat With a Silverware Pocket

You can add a pocket to a placemat to store silverware or a napkin, or just to give the placemat a unique, decorative look. Although you can use fancy fabrics for placemats, cotton fabrics, such as calicos, often work best. If you use very thick fabric, such as pre-quilted material, you can leave out the interfacing.

Things You'll Need

• Fabric
• Double-fold bias tape
• Matching thread
• Fusible interfacing
• Measuring tape
• Scissors
• Iron
• Ironing board
• Press cloth
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine

Instructions

1. Cut a 5-by-6 1/2 inch rectangle of fabric for the silverware pocket. Place the pocket face down on the ironing board.

2. Fold each edge of the pocket over 1/2 inch toward the wrong side. Press the folds flat.

3. Fold the top edge of the pocket over another 1/2 inch. Press the fold flat again, then stitch across the top of the pocket to complete the hem.

4. Cut two 14-by-18 inch rectangles of fabric. Cut one piece of fusible interfacing the same size.

5. Place one piece of fabric face down on the iron board. Place the interfacing on the fabric bumpy side down. Cover the interfacing with the press cloth and iron the interfacing to the fabric.

6. Position the pocket on the left side of the fabric without the interfacing. Make sure both the fabric and the pocket are right side up.

7. Pin the pocket to the fabric. Stitch around the sides and lower edge of the pocket. Leave the top edge unstitched.

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

9. Wrap the bias tape all the way around the edge of the placemat, with the fold of the bias tape covering the edge of the fabric. This will keep the edges of the placemat from raveling, and give the placemat a finished look.

10. Pin the bias tape to the placemat, catching both the front and back of the bias tape in the pins.

11. Cut off the excess bias tape, leaving about 1/2 inch extra. Tuck the ends of the bias tape under, and press the end flat.

12. Sew the bias tape to the placemat, close to the inner edge of the bias tape.

Tips & Warnings

• You can cover the top edge of the pocket, or all the edges, with double-fold bias tape if you prefer a more decorative look.

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