Sew a set of honeycomb place mats for your Rosh Hoshanah table and get ready for a sweet new year. These mats would be great in the sukkah, too. This is a simple pattern, easy to sew, and it’s a free pattern to boot.
L’shanah tovah! Wishing you a good year!
Materials
Recommended fabrics: The project lends itself to a wide variety of non-stretch fabrics. Consider the weight you’d like for the finished mats, and make sure that the cleaning instructions for the top layer and lining are compatible.
I used a quality cotton quilting fabric in a deep golden honey color and added fusible interfacing to the top layer to give it more body.
To make four place mats:
Top layer: 7/8 yard (100cm) at least 44″ wide
Lining: 7/8 yard (100cm)at least 44″ wide
Thread
Tip: If you use the same piece of fabric for both the top layer and the lining, you’ll only need 1 1/4 yard (122cm) of fabric (at least 44″ wide).
Instructions
Print 4 copies of the honeycomb placemat sewing pattern.
Cut out the pattern pieces and tape them together to make a hexagonal pattern (you’ll need to flip two of the pieces over).
Cut four copies of the hexagonal pattern from your top layer fabric and four copies from the lining. To fit all the pieces on the fabric you’ll have to place them right next to each other.
To sew each place mat: With right sides together, sew the top layer and lining together along the edges using a ¼” (6mm) seam allowance. Leave a 3″ (8mm) opening on one of the sides. We’re using a pretty narrow seam allowance, but it enabled us to fit the pattern three across on the fabric. If you find this seam allowance is too narrow to work with comfortably, widen it to a 3/8″ (9mm) for a slightly smaller place mat.
Clip the corners, but don’t cut all the way to the seam.
Press along the stitching.
Pull the fabric through the opening and turn the place mat right side out, opening the place mat all the way to the edges and corners.
At the opening, turn the seam allowance to the inside of the place mat and press. Press along all edges of the place mat.
Sew around the entire edge of the place mat 1/8” (3mm) from the edge.
Press.
Finished size: 16 1/2″ x 13 7/8″ (42cm x 35cm)
Enjoy a sweet new year!
Ready for some sweetness right here, right now? Enjoy this video of some down-home honey collection by Mud Songs Beekeeping:
Maria Bywater is the author of Sew Jewish: The 18 Projects You Need for Jewish Holidays, Weddings, Bar/Bat Mitzvah Celebrations, and Home. She teaches hands-on Judaica sewing workshops.
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