The Boy and I recently traded in our kitschy pink top 50s dining table for a proper grown up teak number with matching chairs.
New (old) table!
It is lovely but I live in constant fear of damaging it… So time for some practical home decor. I decided on having 2 sets of placemats. One will be made of a lovely light turquoise green linen (once I get some matching embroidery floss).
Everyday retro look placemats
The first set I made are to be the ‘everyday’ versions. The atomic inspired print cotton was picked by the Boy, and I decided to back/edge it with a matching teal broadcloth. There are 6 full size placemats and a slightly smaller one for the toddlers in our lives. I realize that being messy toddlers, they really should have an oversize version!
Matching coasters.
I also made some matching coasters.
Construction details: There is a layer of cotton quilt batting in the middle to protect the wood from heat and water damage. The batting was cut to match the green top fabric, less the seam allowance. With the batting on the wrong side of the cotton, I pressed the seam allowances over the edge of the batting, clipping and mitring the corners as I went. The teal broadcloth backing was cut larger than the cotton so that when the seam allowances were pressed in and corners mitred in the same manner, the backing would create a border from the front. After pinning the front to the back (wrong sides together), I topstitched them together using a wavy stitch on my Elna.
Wavy topstitching detail.
I thought I was finished, but they still needed some pop to match the print, so I did a version of a knotted stitch to make little dots following the stitching lines. There are 3 different colours of thread, all matching the accents in the cotton.
Placemat corners
Now that “spring” is here, I do feel the urge to do more small domestic projects. It should be warm enough soon to use our lovely sunroom, so I better get on those curtains!
Love Heather
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