Placemats, part 1

So, I completed the first half on 59 placemats. They're 12 inches across, so the plates, centered, will have 1" on each side. Plus, the plates have a lip, so you can actually see more of the placemat, if you're looking at it from an angle. 

Step 1: Acquire chipboard. Basically: thick cardboard, but solid.

Step 2: Spray glue! Use towel behind this so you don't ruin furniture. Gloves also help, but I toughed it out. make sure glue isn't too thick, otherwise it will soak through and make the material look wet.

Step 3: Put material on. Have it pre-cut and already ironed... REALLY ironed. I steamed it so it was REALLY flat and easy to use. Smooth out any bubbles or rough spots.
Step 4: See how the material is bigger than the cardboard? I learned it's easiest to have at least 1" on all sides. Less than that and it's hard to put the cardboard on right on the material with the spray glue. Yes... complicated. Oh well. After 59 you get the hang of it!
Step 5: Hot glue (or somehow tack) the edges up on the cardboard on the back. Works out easiest if you can cut the material at an angle on the edges so the chipboard on the corners doesn't show through. If you look just at the material, you see that it's square.
Quasi-final product. Top view. Yes... it's a brown, material-covered square.

Next step: Ribbon. We made one practice one so B could give his seal of approval... but that's for tomorrow night. Tonight I make lanterns.