Frugal Thanksgiving table- DIY placemats.

It just occurred to me that besides getting the food together for my Thanksgiving meal, I'm going to want my table to look nice. I am fortunate to have nice dishes from wedding gifts, but beyond that my table is looking a little sparse.  To start, what will cover my table?

Tablecloth v. Placemats
For my Thanksgiving, I'm going to go with placemats, for a few reasons. 1. I do not have a tablecloth that is big enough for my table when it is extended. 2. I might have to use more than one table, and I certainly do not have 2 tablecloths. 3. My meal is going to be pretty casual and I think cute placemats will work better for my style.

That said, I only have 4 placemats, and I'm expecting 10-12 guests. I've always meant to get more placemats... it just somehow always fell to the bottom of my list. :)  So, with a few days left, what to do for more placemats? I could buy some, but that wouldn't be very frugal.  I could probably buy some super cheap ones for the same cost as I can make them, but I'd rather have placemats that are exactly what I want and can use for many years to come. After trolling the internet for an embarrassingly long time, here are the best (easiest & cheapest but still cute) placemats to make.

1. Double-sided fabric placemats. by Centsational Girl

2. Easy no-sew paper placemats. (I would highly recommend laminating them, and you could also use pieces of fabric instead of paper, which could also be laminated.), by Thoughtfully Simple






I think I'm going to opt for the double-sided fabric ones. I won't have to buy much fabric because I've got a lot of it already, and I like the idea of getting two different placemats in one. I think I'm going to do one side a solid neutral color- ivory or taupe perhaps, and the other side printed fabric. I'll post pictures and final costs once I make some!

What are you putting on your table? Anything DIY?