Free Sewing Pattern Ideas for Placemats

Are you needing new placemats but are not fond of any of the models? Consider making your own placemats! They are very simple to make, whether you want to upgrade your crochet skills or just want to sew some nice pieces of fabric together.

Making your own placemats is a cost-effective solution that brings you one step closer to having the placemats you’ve always dreamed of. These free sewing pattern ideas for placemats include something for everyone: those who want pocket placemats for picnics to those looking to make their own placemats from scratch!

What to Consider When Making a Placemat

Color

The color of your tablecloth and the overarching color scheme of your home should be considered when choosing the color of your placemats. 

Choose table mat colors that go well with the tablecloth you’ll be using; otherwise, they risk becoming visually indistinguishable or producing an uncomfortable contrast to the viewer. In a similar vein, it is best if the table mats match the theme of your interiors. 

Number of Placemats

For your convenience, you should make two or three sets of placemats; one set should be used daily, and the others should be saved for more formal events. 

It is recommended that table mats used daily be made from a more cost-effective material to withstand typical wear and tear. Fancy table mats should be kept for use when entertaining guests.

Take things a step further and sew some holiday-themed table mats, such as Christmas or Easter to liven up family dinners and other social gatherings.

Size

The dimensions of your dining table should serve as the primary guide for determining the dimensions of your placemats. In a perfect world, placemats would be large and spacious enough to hold all of the items that belong to a single person at the table. 

You need to check that the dimensions of the mat leave sufficient room on the table for you to place additional items there.

Materials

Many different kinds of materials can be used to make placemats. You can make a placemat using a variety of fabrics and materials, such as cotton, denim, linen, leather, polyester and polyblends, wicker, or even reeds. 

No matter what you decide to use, it should be substantial enough to prevent damage to your tabletop from dropped utensils and should offer some degree of insulation against heat loss.

Additionally, you must consider how simple it will be to maintain the material. You might want to reconsider your decision if it is stunning to look at but will be a nightmare to keep clean. Your decision will also be impacted by where and how you plan to store the placemats when they are not in use. 

Heat Resistance

Lacquered wooden tables are susceptible to heat marks, which can frustrate owners. Putting a hot plate on a finished wooden table may leave an unsightly mark or stain embedded into the surface in the form of a white dot. There is a possibility that the stain can be removed, but doing so will be challenging and time-consuming.

If you want to sew a placemat that protects your table, you have to pay close attention to the material’s insulation properties. While silicone placemats are known for their heat resistance, you can sew a thick placemat made from other fabrics that could prove just as effective. 

Free Sewing Pattern Ideas for Placemats

Easy DIY Placemat

If you’re new to the sewing game and would love to try to make your very own placemats, here is a simple tutorial that could render a beautiful result. This project uses very simple sticking, and you can make a placemat in under 30 minutes. 

For this particular tutorial, the crafter uses half a yard of fabric for each placemat and half the fabric size of batting, interfacing, or fusible fleece. You can go wild with the patterns, but this tutorial chose a more romantic pastel-like approach. 

Placemat Crochet Pattern for Fall

Looking for a dreamy crochet pattern for a fall-themed placemat? You may have found just the right one. This project over here uses cotton fibers and a pretty thick weave, it can also serve as a hot pad when you’re serving casserole dishes for Thanksgiving. 

You will need one skein per each placement you want to make, noting that the project is for placemats that measure about 12 x 18 inches. 

Reusable Placemats

What I love about this sewing project is that you’re learning to make a portable placemat that holds the cutlery one would need at a BBQ or picnic. It’s like having cutlery and napkin carrying cover and a placemat in one. 

When you’re ready to eat, just untie the knot, unfold the placemat, take our eating utensils, and enjoy your food! The best thing is that you can repurpose several pieces of older fabric that you were maybe planning to throw away.

Self-Binding Quilted Placemat

This YouTube tutorial will teach you how to sew the most gorgeous self-binding, quilted placemats you can use or gift. Don’t be shy. Get creative with the pattern and print of the fabric chosen so the placemats will have the color and design of your choice. You’ll also need an iron and an ironing board, a cutting mat, a rotary cutter, and a sewing machine. 

Round Crochet Placemat

The Hello Sunshine Placemat crochet pattern is simple to make and comes together very quickly. This crochet placemat was designed to look like the sun, with two different border options and textured stitches resembling rays of light. 

This placemat is ideal for the spring and summer seasons and for use as a gift or for personal use in the home or on the patio. You are free to use any cotton yarn you like when making a placemat, regardless of whether it has a border or not. 

Reversible Placemat with Pockets

Love the nifty idea of making your own placemats with pockets for your cutlery? These are great not just for home use but can prove incredibly useful when planning a picnic or a barbecue. 

These reversible placemats can be sewed into various styles to match the décor of your home. Rickrack is utilized as an adornment throughout this guide. If you require a speedy sewing project, you can omit the rickrack and cutlery compartments and construct a straightforward reversible placemat instead.

Christmas Placemats

Everyone knows that Christmas decorations can be ridiculously expensive, so making your own Holiday-themed placemats might be a great idea. To make these placemats, you will need about two yards of cotton fabric to make four placemats, matching thread, interfacing, and a few other sewing tools (such as a rotary cutter, a sewing machine, and a cutting mat). 

Double-Sided Scalloped Placemats

One yard of sumptuous and exquisite Belgian Linen can be used to create two placemats with a width of 17.5 inches and two different designs on each side. If you serge or stay-stitch the edge of your fabric before you prewash it, you can limit the amount of unraveling that occurs. 

You should wash Belgian Linen in a machine with warm or cool water on the delicate or mild cycle, and then tumble dry it on the lowest setting. To help the cloth become more pliable, iron it with steam on the wrong side of the fabric.

FAQ

What batting do you use for placemats?

You can use batting that is resistant to heat if you want your placemats to be able to withstand high temperatures. In any other case, you can make do with thin polyester, cotton, or a combination of cotton and poly.

What fabric is best for placemats?

Fabric materials such as cotton or linen are an excellent choice because of the gentle feel of these materials and the ease with which they can be maintained. In fact, many types of fabric placemats can even be washed in a machine.

What is the typical size of a placemat?

There is a wide range of sizes and contours available for placemats. The most common dimension for placemats is a large rectangular shape measuring either 12 x 18 inches or 14 x 20 inches. 

Final Thoughts

Placemats are excellent for decorating and protecting the table. Some placemats can be expensive. Sometimes, you can’t find the model you want. In both cases, these free sewing pattern ideas for placemats will come in handy. So, jump to our site and grab the fabrics you need to make your placemats.