By contributor Cheyenne Bell
I don’t know about you, but coasters are a hot commodity in my house. Not only do we adults need them on a regular basis for hot or sweaty beverages, but my children think they are the BEST. TOYS. EVER.
Unfortunately, those pretty, heavy slate-style coasters tend to be broken (or used as weapons) around these parts. So I needed to find a way to protect my furniture from said sweaty beverages, while keeping my children entertained… without providing them with more weaponry.
Enter these fabulous, cheap, and easy DIY coasters!
BONUS: they make really great Christmas gifts, too!
Making both sets of the coasters were super easy, but if you’re looking for a no-sew project, these burlap coasters are the way to go. All you need is a set of plain burlap coasters (I found these at Hobby Lobby; you could probably find these or something similar at any craft store), rubber stamps of your choosing, and a stamp pad.
There are exactly two, count them, TWO, steps to making these shabby chic coasters:
1. Stamp coasters; and
2. Let dry.
If you decide to gift them to someone, wrap them up with a simple piece of ribbon and a pretty chalkboard tag. The end!
If you don’t mind doing a bit more work, try making these soft and absorbent flannel coasters. Here’s what I did:
1. Cut flannel into as many 5X5 squares as you need (I cut 8 squares to make 4 coasters).
2. (Optional) Cut half as many plain felt squares in any color (these are used on the inside of the coasters to give it a bit more thickness, so what they look like doesn’t matter; I cut four pieces).
3. Place two flannel pieces, right sides facing together.
4. Place optional felt piece on top of your flannel stack.
5. Sew all sides of the square stack, leaving about a 2″ opening in the middle of one side (I left 1/2 inch seam allowance; be sure to back stitch at the starting and ending points).
6. Cut your corners and trim around the sewn edges and turn the squares right sides out. Poke out your corners with your small finger.
7. Press square with an iron to crisp the edges, making sure to fold in the un-sewn side.
8. Sew around all sides of the square (I sewed at the 1/4 inch mark).
9. Repeat for the rest of your squares. You’re done!
So easy, right? There are so many ways to personalize these, too. You can use two different kinds of flannel for each coaster or you could make four wildly different squares for a very fun, eclectic set. The possibilities are endless!
Thrifty tip: I got all my fabrics from the scrap bins of my favorite fabric stores. You don’t need much fabric for this project and this time of year is great for finding all kinds of flannel scraps!
To make an easy gift out of these, pair them with a cute mug filled with tea bags, hot cocoa packets or a small bag of gourmet coffee, wrap it up and you’re done! A cozy, comforting, handmade gift for someone special!
Looking for more great DIY projects? Check out the links below!
Easy 30-Minute Upcycled Baby Sweater Pants (By Hand or Machine)
Two Play-Dough Recipes {Gluten-Free & Original}
Easy DIY Reusable Snack Bags (Machine & Hand-Sewing Instructions)
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