Wavy Edged Placemats

SUPPLIES & TOOLS:

• Wavy Edged Placemat Template
• Cotton, 1/2yd per Placemat
• Mediumweight Fusible Interfacing, 1/2yd per Placemat
• 1/2" Double Fold Bias Tape, 2yds per Placemat
• Sewing Clips
• Basic Sewing Supplies

DIRECTIONS:

1. Using the template, cut two placemat shapes out of the folded cotton and cut one placemat shape out of the mediumweight interfacing.
2. Fuse the Interfacing to the wrong side of one of the cotton pieces.
3. Place the cotton pieces wrong sides together and baste around the outside.
4. Trim off any excess material.
5. Apply the bias tape tape around the curves. You will need to do this at your ironing station. Secure the bias tape around an edge at one of the wave troughs (the low part of the wave) with a sewing clip and begin to shape the tape into a curve around the first wave, ironing the curve of the wave as you go. The heat of the iron will make the bias tape more malleable and help it to stretch into the curve without buckling. When you get to a corner curve, you will need to coax the bias tape around by applying heat for each slight curve. Continue all the way around.
6. When you come to the end, extend the bias tape about two inches past the beginning. With a piece of chalk or disappearing ink pen (or whatever you have) make a mark on the wrong side of beginning tail, 3/8" from the edge. Make a corresponding mark on the end tail, where the end tail meets the mark on the beginning tail.
7. Flip the bias tape ends so that they meet right sides together, matching the marks, and sew down that line. Open up the seam and press with an iron, check to make sure that the bias tape length fits the placemat edge correctly; then trim the seam allowance down to 1/4". Press the bias tape into shape again and secure to the placemat edge with sewing clips.
8. Sew all the way around, 1/4" from the inner edge of the bias tape.
9. When finished sewing, iron down all the edges one last time.