Monogrammed Burlap Table Runner & Placemats

Last Sunday was Mother's Day, and I was having my parents over for dinner.  I always see really cool dining table decor, but I never take the time to do it.  Most of my family could care a less, as long as there's food on the table.  But it matters to me, and makes me feel good when my house looks good.  So I decided to quickly make a table runner and matching placemats.

It was super easy.  I measured my table length, and then added enough to hang down on each end.  Make sure it's not to long so it won't touch the chair seat.  Mine are maybe 1/2" above the chair.  I made mine 12" wide, but you can decide what looks good on your table.  Burlap is easy to cut straight, you just have to follow one of the threads.  I think I pulled one thread from each long side, and 5 threads from the short ends to make a small fringe.  Then I did a narrow zig-zag stitch with thread the same color as the burlap on all 4 sides, catching in the last woven thread.  If you don't stitch it, it will unravel quickly.  Do this before you decorate it, or you will have burlap strings everywhere.  

Then I just found an R in a font that I liked, made it about 6" high and printed it in reverse.  That way you can trace it and make an iron on.  I used regular Wonder Under, because I wanted to stitch around the edges.  But you could use Heavy Wonder Under, or Heat 'n Bond Ultra, and you don't have to sew it at all.  

You trace your reversed letter on the paper side of your iron on adhesive, iron it to the back of your fabric, cut it out and iron it on.  Easy peasy!! I straight stitched around the R, because I like that look.  I'm OK if it frays a little around the edges. 

Then I cut out 4 placemats.  I don't remember the exact measurements.  It was part what fit on the table, and part how much burlap I had left.  Anyway...I used the same method with fraying the short ends a bit and zig-zagging around the edges.  I used the same font and printed a smaller R in reverse, and made iron-ons in 4 different fabrics.

I'm loving how they turned out.  It was a cheap and simple project, that makes my dining room look way better.  I'm thinking the table runner can stay, with different placemats for fall and Christmas.  We'll see what we come up with then.  

It looks so much better, don't you think?  My dining room is the only room in our house that has a south window.  It's probably my favorite room because if the sun is out, it's so bright and cheery.  I love my dining room set too.  That is another story for another day.  

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Mom & Dad's Chair

The story of this chair is long.  I'm pretty sure it started out it's life covered in a sort of vinyl, plastic like material.  My memory says it was a floral of browns and greens.  Anyhow, early on my parents recovered it in a blue nubby type material, and that is how I mainly remember it.

 Well, they replaced it a few years back, and of course I grabbed it.  It is small, and I thought it would fit great in a little girls room. It had a gathered skirt, that I pulled off right away.  At the time, my girl's room was pastel ginghams, so I made a slipcover to match.  I found a VHS tape at the library, with awesome directions, that I still use today.  I dug through old pictures, and scanned the only one I could find.

See it in the corner?  It was cute, and served it's purpose.  Then my girl wanted a big girl room, so we went with a Hawaiian theme. Bright pink and lime green, with a little orange and turquoise thrown in.  I'm hoping we've reached the digital age by now, and I can find a picture saved on CD.  Digging through old boxes of pictures is very time consuming.  It's also really sentimental.  Hurray, I found one!!

It was fun, and we loved it in her room.  But alas, she again outgrew her room style, and wanted shabby chic.  That is what it is now, and I will share lots of projects from her room later.  So the small chair ended up in the living room, with it's nasty blue fabric for a few years.  Finally, I had it and decided it was time to recover it.  We pulled the blue off, repaired springs and webbing, and added extra batting.

Found some fun fabric on clearance at Hobby Lobby.  Love the colors.

So, the nasty blue chair, lives again.  I planned it for the living room, but decided it just didn't feel right in there.  Then one day it dawned on me that it would be great in the corner of the kitchen, next to the slider.  Everyone always hangs out in the kitchen anyway, so it's perfect.  For now, at least.  The kitchen may have another makeover soon, if we can make up our mind.

This is where is it now, and we love it.  But nothing is forever.  See that red wall?  As soon as I wash the rest of my kitchen walls, that I took wallpaper off like a year ago or more, it will all get a fresh coat of paint. But that's a story for another day...

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