DIY Reversible No Sew Placemats

With it being summer and all, my family and I have been spending quite a lot of time outside. Whether it’s sitting by the blow-up pool reading while the boys frolic and splash or basically stalking the neighborhood deer, we spend a lot of time outdoors. It seemed only right that we needed some outdoor placemats so that we could start to dine outside as well.

And since my sewing machine had not yet been delivered, my plan A fell by the wayside and I wound up working out a no-sew version which is pretty darn awesome. All you need are scissors and iron to really rock this DIY and impress your guests.

Extra bonus, while these are technically outdoor mats since that is where we will use them, they are super cute and great for indoors also!

For this project you will need:

• 1/3 yard fabric in two patterns (per two placemats)
• 2/3 yard double-sided interfacing, iron-on kind
• fabric glue
• ribbon or bias tape (two packages made 3 mats for me)
• sharp scissors
• iron

Grab any old placemat you have in your kitchen and use it to measure out a piece of fabric for your first placemat. Give yourself about an inch all the way around of wiggle room.

Iron on your first side of interfacing, leaving the paper intact. Go around several times at the heat suggested by your interfacing until it’s totally stuck down. Pay special attention to corners and edges. Allow the paper to cool.

Carefully peel away the paper. It’s hard to see the interfacing ironed on, but if you look closely you’ll see it. If you touch it, you’ll feel it…

Iron on your second patterned fabric onto the backside of the first. Again, take care with edges and corners and be sure everything sticks before turning that iron off.

Take a pen, pencil or fabric marker and trace around your placemat.

Trim through keeping the corners straight (even if you traced a curve).

If using bias tape grab the double fold. If using ribbon take the hot iron to it and iron a crease down the middle.

Place glue inside on one side, press onto one side of the mat making sure the line, or fold, is running along with the bottom of the mat itself.

Repeat for the second side.

Trim the edges flush once the glue is dry.

Do both of the longer sides first and then the shorter sides. Your bias tape or ribbon will overlap. Simply cut as you did before, nice and flush with the edge and fill in that bit with your fabric glue. Squeeze shut and allow to dry.

And there is your placemat!

If your lot is the messy sort, you can give a spray of Scotch Guard you might have from your last sofa purchase!

And you’ll have two sides you love that you can use both for a fun effect or reverse for every other get-together so they always look new!

Allison

A crafter since her earliest years, Allison spends a little time every day making something. She crafts, sews, paints, glues things onto other things, and is a firm believer that a life spent creating is a life worth living. Visit Allison’s blog, Dream {a Little} BIGGER.