How To Make A Place Mat -

Place mats are a great way to add fabrics to your dining area. They’re beautiful and functional too. Today I’m sharing my how to make a place mat tutorial.

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My place mat is going to be used as a table runner too. It’s a nice way to add a little color to the table when we’re not eating at it.

This place mat is inspired by some place mats that I’ve seen at our local Jeffery Alan’s store. Their’s are round too, and also have a scalloped edge. They are quilted in a circular pattern, and that’s what first drew me to them.

I decided to try my hand at quilting two of the fabrics that I’m using in our living room and kitchen. The floral is going to be an ottoman and pillows in the living room, and it’s also the fabric I used for our roman shade valance in the kitchen window. The green fabric will be our dining area draperies.

How To Make A Place Mat

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Materials:

Fabric for the front and back sides – the exact yardage will depend on how many place mats you are making. I could make 2 place mats out of 3/4 yard of each fabric.
Fabric for bias binding if you would like to make your own, or 1 package of Double Fold Bias Tape Quilt Binding.
Quilt batting
Thread to match fabric

Instructions:

Cut out front and back fabrics. Be sure to cut them bigger than your finished product because your fabric may shrink up a little from the quilting process. My finished place mat will be is 15″ in diameter, so I cut my fabrics at 20″ x 20″. I used a place mat that I already had for my pattern.
Cut out your piece of quilt batting the same size as your fabrics.
Sandwich all three layers – the bottom fabric right side down, then your batting, then your face fabric right side up.
Pin all three layers, using lots of pins to keep layers from shifting while you’re quilting.
Starting in the center, sew your circles. Working your way out from the center. My sewing machine foot was my guide for each circle.
When you are done stitching your circles, cut out the fabric in circle shape.
Cut out enough bias binding to go around your circle (the circumference), adding 5″ to join the ends. The fabric strip should be 2″ – 2 1/2″ wide. (Thicker fabrics need wider strips)
Fold the strip in half and pin. Don’t iron fold.
Sew the bias banding strip to the wrong side of the place mat.
Join the ends. I used the same method that I use when I join cording on a pillow with cording.
Fold the bias banding strip to the right side of the place mat and sew in place. Stitching right next to the edge of the bias binding.