reversible tea cup placemats

Have you ever told someone you like a certain something and then that's all they ever buy you? (Like purple bears when you're in the third grade) And you like that certain something for about a year, but after that you start liking something else? (Like Dreamsicles in high school) And then you realize you don't really want to collect anything at all because you own too much stuff and your taste changes on a semi-regular basis?  Well, I have.  And so has my mother (except she liked other things).  Since my mother already has almost everything she wants with the exception of a house that cleans itself, her wish list seems to take a long time to conjure up.  I set a couple perameters when I asked her what she might like this year for Mother's Day - was there anything I could sew for her that was simple.  Yes.  Placemats.  She set a couple perameters herself - can't wrinkle and can't be fruit.

Back when I made this apron, my mom really liked the teacup side. (Please refrain from the temptation of buying her teacups!)  The fabric is Metro Cafe Tea Cups by Louise Cunningham for Robert Kaufman in Vintage and Robert Kaufman kona cotton solids in cream, peridot, peacock, and chocolate.  I used medium-weight interfacing.

This is a semi-tutorial ('semi' because I didn't take pictures at every step) for the simpler of the two placemats I showed Sunday. 

1. Cut the front, back, and interfacing 12" x 17" (or to another size if you prefer).  I also starched and ironed all of my fabric before I began sewing to give everything a nice, crisp finish.  (I recently rediscovered my mild obsession for starch and have been starching everything.  This probably isn't healthy.)

3 layers: back, interfacing, front

2. You're going to need to do a bit of rearranging before you begin sewing.  The interfacing should now be the bottom layer, your back in the middle (if you're using a print, then you will want the right sides of your main fabrics facing each other), and your front on top wrong side up.

{tea} fabric sandwich

3.  Set your seam stitching at 5/8" or 1/4".  Leave an opening to pull the fabric back through.  Don't forget to backstitch!  I made the hole big enough to fit my entire hand in making it easier to push the corners in.  You can always do it smaller and use something pokey to help you out.

unsewn opening

pull fabric through the hole so it's right side out

 4. Trim the corners before you begin pulling the fabric through the hole.  I also trimmed the interfacing all the way around.  Trimming takes away a bit of the bulk.

trim corners

trim interfacing

5. Pull everything right side out through the hole.

turn right side out

6. Fold the open sided seams in toward the center.  Iron the placemat because it’s a little wrinkled from pulling through; this also flattens the side seam that needs to be stitched closed. 

press

7.  Hand stitch the side closed.  I did a kind of whipstitch.  I’m still learning what the different finishing stitches are called, so there might be a better stitch (and better way of doing this particular one) that would suit this type of project. 

hand stitch

8. Topstitch the placemat.  (Again, you may choose 5/8” or ¼” seam.  Remember to use the same width all the way around.  This is also a good time to use a decorative stitch.  I chose to keep these placemats as minimalist as possible since the print is so busy.)   I used thread that matched the back of the placemats.  They would also look nice with contrasting thread colors.

topstitch

And then you're done!  New placemats are a great, quick way to change it up in your kitchen when you don't have time or funds for a complete makeover.