Make do and mend Mondays

Mondays are becoming exciting me to as I challenge myself this year to "make do and mend". This is not about spending money. It is about using what is in my home and perhaps rethinking its purpose to turn it back into a loved and well used item. It will often be about objects in the home but sometimes also about cooking.

This week I decided to remove a tapestry tablerunner from the items I was selling online and do something to repurpose it. I had bought these marked down very well at a shop in Bruges, Belgium. I loved them but never ended up using them. I even had to dig out the lighter one out of a gifts chest as I thought I would use it as a present for someone some time since I never even took it out of its bag. They were going to be used on my sideboard but I use it as a desk where I am sitting now with my laptop chatting with you.

I ripped out the few stitches used to create the point and also carefully picked out the stitches holding the tassels. These might show up in a later "make do and mend" project. I ironed the tabelrunners and.....

...cut them into four equal rectangles. Placing right sides together, I sew around the edges. Trimmed the corners, turned right side out and sewed the opening shut. I edge stitched them about 1/4 inch from the edges using brown thread on top and blue thread on the bottom.

The results are two sets of placemats in one! The one side is for use in autumn and winter.....

...while the second side is perfect for spring and summer. Now placemats are something I will use! What about you? Have you got something in your home that you can repurpose so you can join me and "Make do and Mend"?