How to make rope placemats
Handmade rope placemats will add a wonderful personal touch to your next dinner party, but remember that they’re destined to get dirty. I have used water-based acrylic paint from the hardware store so they can be machine-washed easily. If you want to add some flash to your placemats, ensure that your decoration can withstand a good scrubbing.
You will need:
- 50m of cotton rope
- 1m x 1m piece of paper to paint on
- Small craft paintbrush
- Water-based acrylic paint in your favourite colours
- Sharp scissors
- Measuring tape
- Sewing machine with a zigzag stitch
- Thread
How to:
1. Untangle the rope and place it on the large piece of paper. Using the acrylic paints, dab blobs of colour in random spots on your rope. Allow to dry.
2. Untangle your decorated rope and cut it into six equal lengths measuring approximately 8m each.
3. Take one of your pieces of rope and coil one end into a small circle. It should resemble the number 9 with a small coil and a tail of loose rope. You should be a pro at this step by now!
4. Place your coil under your needle and slowly start to zigzag stitch the rope together. Bind the coil together by reversing over your stitches a few times to secure them. Repeat in the diagonal direction to the first line of stitching.
5. Continue sewing your placemat until it measures 25cm in diameter. Loop the last few centimetres of rope underneath itself and sew it closed, leaving a little nubbin. Repeat with the remaining pieces of rope until you have six placemats.
This is an edited extract from Roped In by Gemma Patford published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $29.99 and is available in stores nationally.