Mini Sewing
EXHIBIT: One place mat.
General Instructions:
- Select a piece of loosely woven fabric (cotton is best) and matching thread.
- Straighten and pre-shrink your material.
- Cut it into a 12” x 18” rectangle.
Stitch the Mat:
- Stitch on the sewing machine all around the mat ½” in from the edge.
- Lay the fabric so that most of it is to the left of the needle. Lower the needle ½” from the edge of the fabric and begin stitching.
- When you come to a corner, stop stitching ½” from the corner with the needle down in the fabric. Raise the presser foot, turn the fabric, lower the presser foot, and continue sewing. Repeat this at every corner.
- Finally, you will come to the place where you started sewing. Just keep stitching until you have stitched on top of your first stitching for about 1 inch, then backstitch to where you first started stitching.
- Remove the mat from the sewing machine and trim the threads very close to the fabric.
Make the Fringe:
- Make the fringe by pulling out all threads between the stitching and the edge. It is usually best to pull just one thread at a time.
- If you were not able to stitch exactly straight along the thread when you did the machine stitching, some of the threads will unravel.
- Stop when the thread of the fabric is caught with the machine stitching.
- With small pointed scissors, cut the thread that you are raveling out and pull it away from the mat.
- Press your mat and see how nice it looks.
PROJECT SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS:
- Optional: You may add a personal touch to your placemat by decorating it with an appliqué, rick rack, colored thread, sponge paint, etc.
- A loosely woven fabric is easier to unravel than a tightly woven fabric.
- Be creative!