Let's make selvage placemats!

You do save your selvages...don't you? if not...start now. you can have so much fun. making selvage placemats, potholders, bags, vest, jackets, quilts and so much more.

I got an order to make 6 green selvage placemats for a lady i know; so, i decided i would document the journey and show you how i do it. Selvage placemats are about the easiest selvage project to do. so, let's get started.

First, you will need to collect your supplies.
You will need a bunch of selvages...i am using mainly green with a few yellow and browns thrown in. i pulled out all of my green selvages but you will not use all of these...in fact, the pile will pretty much look the same when i am done. SIGGGHHH!!!

Then we need the backs of the placemats..i will cut 6. i am using this green squares fabric. i make my placemats 12"x18" so i cut the back 13x19 to give myself some 'wiggle' room. the placemat will shrink up a bit while stitching...just as quilting does. and i will have plenty of room to cut them to size.

Then you need some batting for the middle. i use warm and natural...it is thinner and doesn't tear easily. you don't want to use fatter batting here.....trust me...it won't work. i also cut the batting at 13x19...i'll need 6 pieces.

And, you will need your thread of choice. it can match the back or not...your choice. i am using a dark green rayon embroidery thread. i have used different brands of thread and it doesn't seem to matter. i will use this green on the top and in the bobbin.

now, the preparation. i have tried making these without these preparation steps but in the end you wind up all wonky and out of shape...so you don't want to skip this part.  you will lay out your back fabric..right side DOWN. and place a piece of batting over it.

Now i find that if i mark the batting i tend to keep the strips straighter. and this is a personal choice. it really doesn't matter if they go all wonky on you. i have used strips that were not cut evenly and just adjusted the next few strips to get back in line. as i said...personal choice. but i shall mark these. i just use my straight edge and an ink pen and place a mark down the middle and to either side. i don't actually measure and mark...just eyeball it. these marks are just there to keep you on track as you go and help you keep your strips straight.

We are going to stitch down these lines to hold everything together so i pin first. the pinning keeps everything from wiggling around.

now just stitch on your marked lines to hold it all together. it won't really show on the back side since you are going to stitch the selvages this same direction and a few extra lines won't matter. i stitch up and down the middle and then all around the edges in one pass. no big deal.

OK...now we are ready for the fun. you can start on either end...again, personal choice. i tend to start on the right and work to the left. i like to stitch on the right side of the selvage. but you can decide which way you like best. set your first selvage down on the side you are using...selvage side to the outside of the placemat and stitch it down, sewing close to the edge of the selvage.

So simple...right?  now select another selvage and lay it down next to this one. overlap the first selvage about 1/4" ... you don't want to be stingy here because you don't want them to unravel in the wash. just set down the next strip...selvage to the right...covering 1/4" of the last selvage...and sew it down.

Then just keep on going...adding strips..covering the last strip by 1/4"...and keeping selvage ends to the right.

Now, take a look at this next picture. see the drawn line that i made with the pen in the preparation stage? you can see that the selvage strip is even with that line. if it wasn't all you would do is adjust the next strip or two to even out. in the end, you won't even notice if some strips are not as straight as others.

 Now, when all the strips are on and you come to the end of your placemat, flip it over and sew around the edge. i sew about 1/2" from the edge. remember you are going to trim this up some. sewing the edges down is just another step to keep everything where it is supposed to be. and it only takes a minute to zoom around the edge.

See, all strips are on and we have sewn around the edge. looking good.

 Now we are going to flip it over to the back and trim it up...mine will be 12"x18". i just lay it on my cutting mat, lining up as best as i can and trim 2 edges. then turn and trim the other 2 edges. if you have trimmed off where you stitched around the edge...you can just stitch around the edge again.

Now all you have left to do is the binding. i bind them exactly like i do a quilt. cut strips 2 1/4" wide, fold in half, press and bind. for these i used the same fabric as the back but you can use whatever you like.

And there you go...all 6 done. pretty, aren't they? it took me 3 evenings to get them all done....2 or 3 hours each evening. doesn't really take long and uses up more stash. and it really, really doesn't take many selvages to do these. there are probably an average of 20 strips per placemat. i tend to cut my selvages 1 1/2 - 2" wide. but smaller ones will work, too. up to you.

  

So, now you know how....go make some placemats. potholders can be made to match...same procedure.

And just to give you something to look forward to...in the foreseeable future i will show you how i make a selvage vest. woohoo!  LOL

till next time...go use those selvages.