When we moved to Tennessee 2 years ago and bought our first house, we were lucky enough to score an Ethan Allen table and chairs for dirt cheap from a lady who was moving soon and had to get rid of it asap. The only problem is that it isn't child-proof.
The table is gorgeous and in mint condition, but with a 2-year-old bent on destroying everything, we knew that might not last long. Our nice scratch-free table was just screaming for my daughter to scratch it/throw something on it/spill her dinner on it. I needed some table protection stat!
These placemats I whipped up not only protect it from said 2-year-old, but they also add a lot of personality to an otherwise boring dining room table. This is a great project for beginners!
Supplies for 8 placemats:
- 2 1/2 yards heavy decorator fabric. I used an outdoor fabric because it's thick and spill-proof
- 2 1/2 yards solid cotton fabric for backing
- Sewing machine and coordinating thread
- Rotary cutter and cutting mat
Wash and dry fabric first. Cut out 8 rectangles 21" wide by 13" long from each fabric. You should have a total of 16 rectangles - 8 from your print, and 8 from your backing.
Take one rectangle of each of your fabrics and pin them together, right sides facing each other. Using a 1/4" seam allowance, sew around perimeter leaving a 4" long opening for turning.
Turn your placemat inside out by pushing it through the opening you left. Push out the corners using a chopstick, skewer, knitting needle, etc., and press the whole thing with a hot iron. Hand-sew the opening closed, then topstitch around the perimeter of each placemat using a 1/4" seam allowance.You could add an additional row of stitches for a decorative look if you like.
See, easy breezy! And pretty.
This project is so rediculously simple that I didn't go too in-depth with the photos. Let me know if you have any questions!
Linking up here:
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 | Show and Tell Wednesday at Blue Cricket Design |
