We’re stamping a tight-weave cotton with a repeating toile pattern using harvest details from the Autumn Blessings Stamp. You guys know how we love a sustainable project! These placemats aren’t just festive, they’re versatile too. We’ll share tips for swapping out the stamped layers for different holidays (we’re already dreaming about Sugar Plum placemats at Christmas). 😉

This project is perfect whether you’re a seasoned DIYer or just dipping your toes into stamping, plus, it’s a beautiful way to refresh your table for the season. So grab your Autumn Blessings Stamp, your favorite decor ink, and maybe your fave fall beverage, and let’s make something beautiful together! 🥰

IOD Products Needed: 

• Autumn Blessings Stamp

• Stone Grey Decor Ink

• IOD Thin Mount

Other Supplies: 

• Cotton Canvas Drop Cloth
• Cotton Cloth

Step-by-Step Guide

STEP ONE: CUT & PREP THE DROP CLOTH

To start, we cut down a clean, ironed drop cloth for our placemats. Ours was cotton, washed in warm water, and pressed flat. Trust us, if you know drop cloths, you’ll want to give it a wash before setting them on your table!

We measured and marked 14”x20” rectangles, then cut them out with fabric scissors. A rotary cutter and grid mat work beautifully too if you have them on hand. Repeat until you have the number of placemats you need.

Next comes the frayed edges. Simply pull the loose threads along each side until you get a nice fringe. If things look a little uneven, just give them a quick trim with your scissors. Repeat as needed.

Quick Tip: Now, we didn’t do this, but if you want to wash these, we strongly recommend getting a fray guard from the fabric store, running a bead around the base of the “fringe” to keep it from unravelling too much, or just running a line of stitching either by hand or with your sewing machine. But it’s up to you!

STEP TWO: CUT & PREP THE SECOND FABRIC

Set those aside and grab your white fabric. For stamping, we wanted something with a tighter, smoother weave, so we used a cotton muslin.

Cut your fabric to 12”x18” using the same method as before. Then go ahead and fray the edges. Keep in mind, the tighter the weave, the trickier it is to unravel, so you won’t get quite as much fringe. That’s totally fine, you just want to soften those sharp cut lines for a more finished look.

STEP THREE: STAMP YOUR PLACEMATS

Now for the stamping! We made a little mockup to plan out the pattern. You’ll find a photo of it at the end of this blog post. We used Stone Grey Ink with a thin mount and worked in rows to keep things lined up.

When stamping on fabric, don’t forget to refresh your ink pad often, and hold your stamp down just a touch longer than usual so the ink really soaks into the fibers. You’re essentially dyeing the fabric here.

Start with the foliage first, then layer in the pumpkins and turkeys. Our goal was to create something that felt a little like toile, so soft repeats and layered motifs for an allover print. Continue the pattern until each placemat is fully stamped, and you’ll have the most darling autumn set!

STEP FOUR: HEAT PRESS

To make these safe to wash, let the fabric dry for at least 24 hours, then set the design by heat-pressing with your iron.

Now for a couple of ideas! If you’d like these placemats to be interchangeable for different holidays (just imagine Sugar Plum placemats at Christmas!), don’t attach the two layers together. Simply stack them and let your place settings hold everything in place. The drop cloth has a bit of natural grip, so they won’t slide around.

If you’d prefer them permanently joined, you’ve got options:

• Use a fabric adhesive spray from the craft store.
• Try fusible interfacing with your iron to “meld” the layers together.
• Or, if you have a sewing machine handy, a quick stitch around the edge will do the trick.

The Stamp Pattern

If you're just kicking off your creative journey, have no fear — our Product 101 pages are packed with straightforward techniques to set you up for success. We're thrilled to accompany you as you explore and create. For more how-tos and creative inspo, make sure to browse through the rest of our blog.

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