Do I cut up the tea towels? Yes!

My DD1 gave me some Christmas presents wrapped in gorgeous matching tea towels from Target. One was red and white check, one was red with white spots and one was white with a red line design and the fancy rick rack border.
My tea towel hangs on the back of the pantry door so it doesn't really get seen much so I decided to cut them up and make three sets of matching placemats or tray mats, coasters, napkins and mug rugs.
This is the basic layout. I allowed 2 cm extra on the edges that would need hemming. The place mat size was based on the size of my trays. I found in the past that I needed a mat on the trays because the tea pot slipped across the tray if I wasn't careful carrying it. The coasters were in the bottom corner so I could use the already hemmed side.

As a guide:
tray/place mat is 40cm x 28cm
napkin is 29cm x 28cm
coaster is 12cm x 12cm and 14cm x 12cm (one needs three sides hemmed)
mug rug is 28cm x 19cm

The bits left over were just the right size to add a border trim and do some applique. I have enough left over now to put a bit of applique on a white or red tea cosy.

Here are all my lovely sets.

Coasters

Mug Rugs

Napkins

Placemats/ Tray mats

Complete set

Complete set

Tray mat in action

Back in September 2012 I took the plunge and made one of my souvenir tea towels into a tray mat. It is nicer than washing it to death as a tea towel of just having it folded up in the cupboard.

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Happy Quilting and Crafting,
Val