A placemat is one of the easiest sewing projects to finish in an afternoon

A placemat is a rectangle of fabric, usually finished with a hem or binding on all four sides. You pick two pieces of fabric (or one folded piece), sew them together, turn it right-side out, and stitch the opening closed. The whole project takes two to four hours for a beginner, uses a straight stitch only, and teaches you the core skills you'll use in almost every other sewing project: measuring, cutting, pinning, sewing a seam, and finishing an edge.

The finished placemat will be roughly 13 inches wide by 19 inches long—a standard size that fits most dinner plates. You can make it larger or smaller by adjusting your starting measurements, but this size is forgiving for a first project.

Key Takeaways

  • Cut two rectangles of fabric 14 inches by 20 inches, which accounts for a half-inch seam allowance on all sides.
  • Pin the two pieces together with right sides facing, sew three sides completely, and leave one short side open for turning.
  • Trim the corners at a 45-degree angle before turning to reduce bulk and create sharp corners.
  • Turn the placemat right-side out through the opening, press it flat, and sew the opening closed by hand or machine.
  • A topstitch (a line of stitching one-quarter inch from the edge) is optional but makes the placemat look more finished.

What you need before you start

Gather these items before cutting fabric: two pieces of cotton fabric (or quilting cotton, which is sturdier), a ruler or measuring tape, scissors or a rotary cutter, pins, thread that matches one of your fabrics, and a sewing machine. If you don't have matching thread, neutral colors like white, black, or tan work on most fabrics.

The two fabric pieces can be the same color and pattern, or contrasting—one side will show when the placemat is finished, and the other side will be hidden against the table. Many people use a printed cotton on one side and a solid on the other. Avoid stretchy fabrics like knits or lycra; they're harder to control. Quilting cotton, linen, and home-décor weight cotton all work well.

If you have a serger or overlock machine, you can use it to finish the raw edges after sewing, but it's not necessary for a placemat. A straight stitch on a regular machine is enough.

Cutting your fabric pieces to size

Measure and mark two rectangles that are 14 inches wide by 20 inches long. Use a ruler and a fabric pencil, chalk, or a washable pen to mark the lines. The extra half inch on each side is your seam allowance—the space between the edge of the fabric and the line where your needle will go. When you sew a half-inch seam and fold the fabric, that half inch disappears into the fold, leaving you with a finished placemat that is 13 by 19 inches.

Cut along your marked lines with fabric scissors (not paper scissors—fabric scissors stay sharper longer) or a rotary cutter and self-healing mat. Cut slowly and in one smooth motion rather than sawing back and forth. Rough or jagged edges are harder to sew neatly.

If you're using a single piece of fabric folded in half, fold it so the fold runs along one of the long sides. Then cut three sides to size, leaving the fold intact on the fourth side. This gives you two pieces already connected at one edge, which saves one seam.

Pinning and sewing the three outer sides

Place the two fabric pieces on top of each other with the right sides facing—the pretty, printed, or finished-looking sides should be touching each other, and the wrong sides (the duller or blank sides) should face outward. This way, when you turn the placemat right-side out later, the seams will be hidden inside.

Pin around three sides of the rectangle, leaving one of the short (20-inch) sides unpinned. Space pins about 4 inches apart, pushing the pin through both layers and closing it on the other side. Pinning keeps the fabric from shifting while you sew.

Sit at your sewing machine and set it to a straight stitch with a stitch length of 2.5 to 3 millimeters—a medium length that holds well without being so tight it puckers the fabric. Lower the presser foot, align the edge of the fabric with the half-inch mark on your machine's throat plate (the metal plate under the needle), and sew slowly. Sew all the way around the three pinned sides, removing pins as you approach them. When you reach a corner, stop with the needle down, lift the presser foot, pivot the fabric 90 degrees, lower the presser foot again, and continue sewing. This creates a sharp corner instead of a rounded one.

Trimming corners and turning the placemat right-side out

Before you turn the placemat, trim the seam allowance at each of the three sewn corners. Cut diagonally across the corner, about one-quarter inch away from the stitching line. This removes the bulk of fabric that would otherwise bunch up when you turn the placemat and create lumpy corners. Be careful not to cut through your stitching.

Reach through the open side and grab the fabric from the inside. Pull gently and steadily until the placemat turns right-side out. The corners should come out fairly sharp if you trimmed them. Use a blunt tool like a chopstick or the eraser end of a pencil to gently push the corners all the way out from the inside.

Press the placemat flat with an iron on a medium heat setting. Press the seams especially well—run the iron along each edge to flatten the seam allowance and make the edges crisp. This step makes a huge difference in how finished the placemat looks.

Closing the opening and finishing the edges

You now have an opening on one short side where you turned the placemat. You can close this opening by hand or by machine. The machine method is faster; the hand method is less visible.

For the machine method, fold the raw edges of the opening inward by half an inch and press them flat with your iron. Pin the opening closed. Sew around the entire perimeter of the placemat, one-quarter inch from the edge. This line of stitching, called a topstitch, closes the opening and also gives the placemat a more polished look. Sew slowly at the corners.

For the hand method, fold the raw edges inward by half an inch and press them. Thread a needle with thread that matches your fabric. Use a ladder stitch (also called an invisible stitch): bring the needle out through the fold of one side, cross over to the opposite fold, go in and come back out a quarter inch away, cross back to the first side, and repeat. Pull the thread snug every few stitches so the opening closes invisibly. This takes longer but leaves almost no visible stitching on the finished placemat.

Optional topstitching for a professional finish

If you closed the opening by hand, you can add a topstitch around the entire perimeter for a more finished look. Sew one-quarter inch from the edge all the way around, using the same straight stitch you used for the seams. This line of stitching is visible and intentional—it's a design choice that makes homemade placemats look more like store-bought ones.

If you already topstitched while closing the opening, you're done. Trim any loose threads, give the placemat a final press, and it's ready to use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a placemat without a sewing machine?

Yes, but it takes much longer. You can sew the entire placemat by hand using a running stitch or backstitch, which will take two to three hours instead of 30 to 45 minutes. Use a needle and thread, and follow the same pinning and seam allowance steps. Hand sewing is slower but teaches you how seams work and is good practice for repairs.

What if my corners don't come out sharp?

Trim the corners more aggressively—cut closer to the stitching line (but not into it). Use a chopstick or point turner to push from the inside while you gently pull the corner out. Press the corner hard with your iron once it's turned. If the corner still rounds, you can hand-stitch it sharper, but most first attempts look fine.

Can I use different fabrics on each side?

Yes. Pick two contrasting fabrics and follow the same steps. One fabric will show on top and one on the bottom. Make sure both are similar weight so they sew evenly—mixing a heavy canvas with a thin cotton can cause puckering.

Do I need to wash the fabric before sewing?

It's not required, but many people prewash cotton to prevent shrinkage later. If you do, wash in warm water, dry on low heat, and press flat before measuring and cutting. If you don't prewash, the placemat may shrink slightly the first time it's washed.

How do I keep my seams straight?

Use the markings on your sewing machine's throat plate as a guide—most machines have lines at one-quarter inch, half inch, and three-quarter inch. Line up the edge of your fabric with the half-inch line and keep it there as you sew. Sew slowly and look ahead rather than down at the needle.