DIY Pumpkin Placemat
Fall is here, and it's the perfect time to bring that cozy, festive feeling into your home! If you're like me and love setting a beautiful autumn-themed table, you might have noticed that store-bought placemats just don’t cut it. They’re often cheaply made and don’t add the personal touch we crave for our fall gatherings. So, why settle for less when you can create your own stunning, custom placemats with just a few simple materials?
In this tutorial, I’ll show you how to make beautiful homemade fall placemats using applique techniques and easy-to-find supplies like fusible fleece and heat erasable gel pens. Whether you're crafting for a festive family dinner or simply adding fall decor to your home, these DIY placemats will transform your table into a warm and inviting space. Plus, they’re budget-friendly and completely customizable!
Materials needed:
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- Applique fabrics
- Front focus and backing fabrics
- Fusible fleece
- Fusible webbing
Tools needed:
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- ¼” quilting foot with guide
- Edge Joining foot
- Open toe foot 7mm
- Heat erasable gel pens
- Pinking Shears (optional)
- Clips or pins
- Scissors
- Rotary cutter, ruler, and mat
- Coordinating thread
- Iron
Cut your front focus, backing fabric and batting 13 inches wide x 17 inches long. Press the fusible side of the batting onto the back side of the front focus fabric following the manufacturer’s directions.
Next you want to cut out your appliques. I chose to free hand some pumpkins with the heat erasable gel pens, but tracing a pattern piece would work too. Pinking the edges is optional.
Once you have the pumpkins cut out, put a few strips of fusible web on the back of them and iron them down. This will help them stay put while you stitch around the edges.
Using your open toe foot 7mm, do a small zig zag stitch, or a satin stitch, around the edges of the pumpkins.
Now take your heat erasable gel pens, or marking tool of your choice, and draw the sections of the pumpkins. Then, taking your edge joining foot, stitch along the lines you just drew. Press the marks with a warm iron to render the gel ink clear.
Place your backing fabric right sides together with your appliqued focus fabric, and then clip or pin in place. Using your ¼” quilting foot with guide, stitch around the edges, making sure to leave an opening for turning.
Trim your seam, and clip corners. Turn right side out.
Press the placemat to make the seams crisp. Then, using the 7mm open toe foot, do a decorative stitch around the edges- make sure to catch the opening.
And there you have it—a set of gorgeous, handmade fall placemats that will elevate your table this season! Whether you're hosting a cozy family dinner, setting up for Thanksgiving, or just want to add a seasonal touch to your everyday meals, these placemats are the perfect DIY project. Not only are they functional, but they also add a personal, creative flair that you won’t find in store-bought options. And don’t stop at pumpkins—try experimenting with different designs like autumn leaves, acorns, or even a cornucopia for a truly unique fall tablescape.
If you don't use placemats for dining, these can also be great under a centerpiece or as a decorative mat anywhere in your home. The possibilities are endless! So grab your applique fabric, fusible fleece, and sewing tools, and get creative this fall. We’d love to see what you come up with—share your designs in the comments below, and let’s inspire each other this autumn season.
Other placemat projects on the Madam Sew Blog:
Other fall decoration projects:
Happy sewing, and enjoy your new festive table decor!
Cecilia Huffaker
