Recycle, Reuse and Restyle Your Thanksgiving Table with These Free & Easy DIY Placemats.
One of the most cherished American traditions is a month away.
“It is when a mix of young and old people from different households sit close together and share food in a poorly ventilated space without masks on for an extended period of time. It’s called Thanksgiving.”
I love Thanksgiving and am trying not to let the current situation in the world change my favorite holiday too much.
Even if we can’t celebrate the day in the grand style we are accustomed to, we can still make the day feel special by cooking our favorite recipes and setting the table in a festive way – even if it is only for the people we live in the same house with.
Every Thanksgiving I like to set the table in a different way. Most of the time, I use what I have in new ways and bring in foliage from my yard as the centerpiece.
One part of the table settings that always gives me a problem is that my dining table is round. Fabric cloths work fine, but over the years I have been preferring the simple look of placemats on the wood surface.
Finding round placemats that fit my style are hard to find. Most placemats are rectangular in shape and on a round table, they end up overlapping. Not a good look. 🙁
So whats a DIYer to do? Make her own – in a fast and affordable way.
When I first started blogging I did a sponsored post for Martha Stewart crafts. I used this paper punch to make brown Kraft paper doily placemats. I still have the punch and thought of using it again, but I wanted a more rustic feel for the table.
So I went in search of something to use to make DIY round placemats. In my garage I keep a pile of brown paper grocery bags. As I passed them, the writing on them stated… Reusble Recyclable. Seeing this gave me an idea.
When you think of making something with brown paper bags you think of children’s Thanksgiving crafts. I didn’t want cute, I wanted rustic, simple and free.
My Thanksgiving Placemats
I am calling these my Thanksgiving placemats, but they can be used for any holiday or season. When the meal is done, they can go right into recycling.
- Note: You can make these paper placemats in any shape you want. Square or rectangular works also.
I even came up with a way to use the paper handles from the bags. I turned them into coordinating napkin rings.
I left my paper placemats plain and let the brown color and wrinkles add the rustic vibe, but you can write names on them to use a place cards.
How to Make Round DIY Placemats & Napkin Rings with a Brown Paper Grocery Bag
supplies needed:
- Brown paper grocery bag with handles
- Scissors
- Pencil
- Something circular to trace around – large round tray, can lid, lampshade
- If you want to make rectangular placemats, find something in the shape you want to make them.
10 minutes 10 minutes.
How to Make DIY Placemats & Coordinating Napkin Rings for a Round Table
- Cut Bottom Off Paper Bag
To make the placemats you will need a brown paper grocery bag for each placemat and one handle for each napkin ring.
Lay the bag on your work surface and carefully remove the handles.
Next, cut along the back seam of the bag to the bottom, then cut off the bottom of the bag.
- Draw Large Circle On Open Bag
Find something circular in your house to use as circle pattern. I found a can lid in the size I wanted. A few items that would work – plates, trash cans, round trays, or lampshades. If using a lampshade, make sure to protect the edge so you don’t get any pencil marks on it.
- Cut Drawn Circle
Using a pair of scissors, carefully cut the circle shape out just inside the pencil line.
- Bunch the Cut Circle into a Ball
Using your hands, bunch the bag into a tight ball and then unfurl it. Doing this will give the paper an overall crinkled look.
The reason to do this is to make the folds already on the bag look less visible. It also adds interesting texture.
- Flatten the Paper
Using your hands or an iron, smooth the paper circle if you want less crinkles. If
pressing with an iron, make sure to put a cloth between the iron and the paper.
- Place on Table
Use the round paper placemat as is or get creative and write each guests name or draw a design on them.
- How to Make Matching Napkin Rings
Using the handles that you removed from the bag in Step 1, you can make coordinating napkin rings by cutting the length of the handle in half.
- Staple to Make a Ring
Cut the brown paper bag handle in half or in 4 to 6-inch long pieces. The center of the strip is the smoothest, so you can cut off the ends and keep the smooth part to make your napkin rings.
Once cut, overlap the ends together and staple.
- Place Folded Napkin Through the Ring
I made mine napkin rings larger than the diameter of most bought rings. You can make yours as large or small as you think looks best for your napkins and style.
Option: I left my napkin ring plain, but if you write your guest’s name on them so they double as place cards.
- More Style Options for the Crinkled Placemats
These ideas are from reader, Diane Whitehead: One extra step I take with the crumpled up brown bags is to paint them with brown craft paint to make them look like faux leather. You cover the bag with craft paint, wait a few minutes, then gently wipe them off with a sponge. Let dry and then iron. It really looks like leather! I have also put the craft paint on and “washed” it off by actually holding the paper under the running faucet. In addition, you can draw “stitches” on with a Sharpie (a running stitch around the outside of the circle). It really makes a difference.
Here are some more entertaining ideas from my blogging friends for your Thanksgiving this year.
On Sutton Place | Shabbyfufu | StoneGable | Southern Hospitality
A Stroll Thru Life | Designthusiasm | Maison de Cinq | In My Own Style
