DIY Tutorial: Gift-Shaped Placemat

• 35 x 40 cm of coated fabric

• 9 x 130 cm strip of cotton fabric (or a 4–5 cm wide ribbon)

• Strong fabric glue

Steps 1 to 6: Creating the gift shape and bow

1. Cut a rectangle (35 x 40 cm) in your coated fabric – this is your placemat base.

2. Cut a 83 cm length from the cotton strip. Fold it in half lengthwise, right sides together, and sew along the long edge with a 1 cm seam allowance. Turn it right side out and press it flat, placing the seam in the middle of the strip.

3. Cut a first piece of 40 cm from this strip and glue it vertically in the center of the placemat, folding and gluing the ends on the back.

4. Cut a second strip of 35 cm. Fold the ends inward and sew them together to form a loop.

5. Cut a third strip of 8 cm. Join the ends and sew them to form a small loop.

6. Take the remaining fabric strip (about 50 cm). Fold it in half so that the two short edges overlap by 1 cm in the middle. Sew along the long edges, turn the strip right side out through the middle opening, and press, making sure to shape the corners nicely.

Steps 7 and 8: Assembling the bow

7. Insert the large loop and the folded strip into the small loop to create the bow shape. Center everything nicely.

8. Glue or hand-stitch the bow onto the top center of the placemat, over the vertical strip.