This time of year I love to peruse the placemats at Crate & Barrel. They have beautiful placemats, but instead of buying eight for my dining table I usually only buy one. The purpose: to make a placemat pillow. I've used this technique of re-purposing a placemat to make an accent pillow many times, but it's a technique that bears repeating. It's a quick, economical way to make a decorative pillow. Also, there's no skill set for putting together one of these beauties! Anyone can make one because there's no sewing machine required.
A couple of weeks ago I bought this beauty, the Tessa Placemat...
Here are the specifics:
Start by purchasing a placemat and some Poly-Fil Fiber "stuffing". Put aside 15 minutes of your time for this project. Make sure your placemat is lined on the back. In other words there needs to be two pieces of fabric sewn together -- the front piece of the placemat and a back lining to make a pillow. (See photo below.)
Use a seam ripper or sharp pair of scissors open a hole in the
bottom seam of the placemat that is large enough to fit your hand
through. Then stuff the inside of the placemat with the Poly-Fil until it's nice and full. I use one 12 oz. package of stuffing.
Sew the seam back together with your sewing machine or by hand using a blind stitch. The whole process takes the better part of 10 minutes!
I particularly love the autumn motif on this pillow and the way the branches bear blooms of all the autumn colors I love -- mustard, pumpkin, eggplant, cayenne, gray and chocolate! The aari embroidery -- with its continuous interlocking chain-stitch -- adds to the texture of this beautiful pillow.
Placemat @ Crate & Barrel, $8.95
Poly-Fil Fiber @ Hobby Lobby or Walmart, $2
Needle & Thread (sewing machine optional)
Total: $11
Total: $11
{Comparable pillows at Crate & Barrel sell between $35 - $50.}
