Introduction

Merry Placemats
Embroidered burlap placemats are an easy and inexpensive way to add texture and natural tones to any table and the embroidery-thread border allows you to create a customizable pop of color.
Step 1

Iron and Cut Burlap
Iron the burlap to remove creases. Then measure and cut the burlap to size. Our placemats measure 12” x 19”. When you’re cutting the burlap, be careful to follow the grain. Burlap is easy to cut in straight lines by staying in the row all the way through your cut.
Step 2

Safety Sewing
After you cut the burlap, the material will start to unravel. The best way to keep the threads secure is to quickly hem it. We used bright red thread and gave it one pass through on the sewing machine.
Step 3

A Little Fraying is Okay
We hemmed about a quarter of an inch in from the edge, so that the edges would be a little frayed, but still secure.
Step 4

Start Threading
Thread the needle with your embroidery thread and start stitching. Use a super simple over and under pattern, alternating the spacing with each color.
Step 5

Subtle Stiches
The stitching is a little time consuming, but once you have your first thread finished, it creates a template of sorts for the next thread. You can use that baseline to quickly stitch your other colors while you watch a movie.
Step 6

Festive Feast
These embroidered burlap placemats will perfectly accent any tablescape. We made these creations for a Mexican Christmas-time fiesta.