Placemat Rug

I cannot believe I didn't think of this before now. (I'm sure someone else has!) I was shopping at the Salvation Army, and I saw three place mats that looked like the kind of rug I've been looking for--something lightweight, woven, washable, and neutral in color. Three mats, four hems, and the rubber no-slip piece that my daughter pulled out of her dresser drawer later, and I have a floor mat! I'm not sure where I'm going to put it. Everything in my kitchen is some shade of brown, so the mat will probably not stay in there!! If it ends up staying indoors, I will probably add some of fabric pieces to match its home room. BTW, I never iron when I know I should. This could be much straighter! Total investmant: 75 cents!


(Please forgive the catastrophe that is my kitchen flooring.)

There are endless possibilities with this idea. Size, shape, colors... you can arrange them 1000 different ways and get exactly the look you're going for! Place mats are so cheap anyway, and it seems that it is a favorite item to donate to thrift stores--I may never have to go buy a rug again! :)

Something else to think about: This is a project that you don't need a sewing machine for! It's very easy, not much sewing at all, and you can even attach the backing with safety pins if you wanted to take it off for washing. Sometimes it's good to mentally slow down a bit, and a small sewing project done by hand can be soothing to the spirit. (It can also make long car rides more productive!) Which reminds me: handmade baby shoes for Gus, coming soon!