With Love to Mom--place mats

Here is a little sneak peak to part of my mom's birthday gift.  I haven't mailed the gift yet so hopefully she doesn't come on here, but she knows I can't keep a secret so she will understand. :)
When I was in college I decided I was going to make a quilt.  I bought all the cloth and slowly started cutting squares.  Well, 6 years later, my fabric container had 3 finished squares and a bunch of uncut fabric from that quilt.  I decided that I was never going to finish the quilt and tried to think about how I could use the fabric.   The colors of the fabric are a perfect match to my mom's dining room and style so I decided to make her a table runner using the finished squares and extra cloth. Then I made 4 place mats to match the runner.

Today I am only sharing the place mats. I am hoping to have a post with the whole set in a few days.  It is just so hard to photograph!

These are very simple to make.
1. Cut 2 pieces 20" x 14.5"  (I used 2 different colors, but you don't have to)
2. Cut piece of batting also 20" x 14.5"
3. Pin the layers--batting on the bottom, fabric #1 facing right side up, and fabric #2 facing right side down.
4. Sew with 3/8" seam.  Be sure to leave a few inches not sewn so you can turn the fabric right side out.
5. Turn the place mats right side out.
6.  Iron
7.  Topstitch around at about 1/8" (this closes the few inches you left open before).
8.  I also topstitched a second line about an inch in.

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