We have a drawer full of placemats that we don't use too often, usually preferring tablecloths to mats. Rather than give them away or toss them, we've found some new uses for our old placemats.
Look below the jump to see them...
Shown left: Juniper Placemat and Napkin from Unison Home.
• Sew them end-to-end to make a table runner. These Concept Placemats ($4.95 each) from CB2 would make a great Bauhaus-style runner.
• Placemats are the perfect size for making throw-pillow shams. Sew three sides of 2 mats together and secure the fourth with Velcro.
• Frame up pretty placemats and hang them on the wall, or sew them together and pin them up to make a faux-quilted wall hanging.
• Fold in half, sew edges together and add 2 straps to the open sides to make a handbag. (Check out this link to how-to instructions.)
• Lay a set of napkins flat on top of a placemat, roll the mat up, and tie a ribbon around the roll. Store inside a drawer for a wrinkle-free, space-saving solution.
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I agree with you about tablecloths over placemats, but where does one find cute tablecloths these days? The trend seems to be for runners and mats. I have a small, oddly shaped table, that is too small for 4 placemats.
view quercus's profile
Quercus, here are a few options:
1. Unison Home (pictured in the top photo) has tablecloths as well as placemats: www.unisonhome.com
2. You can make your own tablecloth. Here's link to how-to instructions for a round cloth: http://www.ehow.com/how_9941_make-round-tablecloth.html
3. If you have an oddly shaped rectangular table, you can crisscross a couple of runners over the tabletop.
4. If you're not too handy with a needle and thread, use no-sew tape to hem the edges of a bolt of fabric and make your own tablecloth to size.
view sarah c's profile
Unison Home's stuff is nice, but I only see 4 or 5 patterns. Anybody else know an on-line source for tablecloths?
view Saha 's profile
Here's another use - sew two (or four, depending on size you want) placemats together to make a reusable grocery bag. Sew on two handles and voila!
view birdseyechili's profile
Nice ideas. :)
view missjelisa's profile