My daughter saw some cute placemats on ETSY that would help the children learn to set the table, so she asked me if I could manage them. Well, you know, I quilt, so what’s the big deal about a placemat. Well…I have to admit, when I saw the samples she presented, I took a deep breath, and ignored her request for months. But, while visiting last summer, we went fabric shopping, and she picked out a lovely batik and a modern polka dot. I brought home her fabric that she carefully prewashed, and put it in my UFO pile. I did think ahead and buy one package of “wonder-under”. As Thanksgiving approached last fall, I thought it was time to get busy (STOP PROCRASTINATING). What was the hold up? APPLIQUE….I had no clue; so I did my usual blog searching and gained a little confidence. Along the way, my darling daughter talked me into blogging….so for this project, I took careful photo’s along the way. Figured you had to show photos as you blog, and really, I have learned SO much from careful instructions on blogs. So, to all of you who write blogs and post instructions – THANKS! (I made 12 total – 8 with appliques and 4 without)
this is a nice lightweight “double sided” fuseable
Enjoy the pictures, which I will try to caption as I go.
I fused the wonder-under to the back of my fabric I was going to use for applique, arranging my shapes on the fusing to trace and cut out. (I tried to cut them out first and it was a floppy failure – then I read the package instructions!)
It was so easy to cut the shapes out with the fusing giving the fabric some body.
- Behind the applique! The cotton fabric was very light to applique, so I added a sheet of heavier pellon behind it.I decide a blanket stitch would hold everything down,and secure the applique over the course of many washings.
be sure to clip the corners to reduce the bulk before turning rightside out
I used the same fabric for the back of the placemat as I used for the applique . The pellon behind the applique helpStitched all the way around (right sides together) and left a small opening for turning
Once they were turned, there was a small opening that needed stitched closed. I topped stitched around the perimeter of the placemat and we were finished.
The back – finished so you could use it at the “grown up table”.
the finished placemat front
Stitching Grandma 
What a neat idea, and how cute those turned out! Thanks for sharing this, now to just add it on my to-do list. LoL! The list that never. ever. ends.
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I found several on ETSY for sale, and used their concept. (Never a creator of ideas, always a borrower).
They were fairly easy to make once I figured out the applique process. My daughter has washed them and they are
holding up so far! When you do yours, be sure to post. It will be fun to see what you come up with. The little “table setters”
seemed to enjoy their job at dinner too.
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