I’ve been eyeing some Sisal Placemats from Pottery Barn for a while now. I love the rustic look of them, but I don’t love the pricetag. Now don’t get me wrong, the Pottery Barn has great quality products, they are just out of my price range. But one day when I was at Hobby Lobby picking up some jute twine for some invitations, I spotted a big roll of thick jute that looked just like the sisal used in the PB placemats. Better yet, it was 50% off and only $6! I thought, I can probably make those placemats exactly the same way the PB ones are with some hot glue and this jute. So I grabbed a roll and headed home to give it a shot.

First, I covered my workspace with wax paper. Then I started rolling and gluing the twine into a circle shape. It takes a little effort to get it started, but once you get a few rounds in, it’s pretty easy to keep it going.

Just keep gluing around the edge and pushing the twine in place until you get it the size you need. Make sure it’s wider than your plates so you can see it when the plate is on top. As you glue, it will start to curve upward around the edges. Don’t worry, this is what you want it to do. The bottom will actually be the top when you’re finished.

After you’re finished, flip it over and the curved part will now curve down. This causes the edge to be raised and gives the placemat more volume.

After making three placemats, I had a little bit of jute leftover so I wrapped and glued it around a cheap dollar store vase. I love how they turned out! They can be used in so many different kinds of tablescapes. The rustic look of the twine is perfect for a cottage-style brunch, a nautical themed meal, or a natural buffet setting.

A natural fiber cloth napkin in a knot-tie completes the look perfectly.

A special thanks goes to my sweet hubby, who brought me home the flowers for no reason at all. Just because it was Friday and because he’s awesome.

So what do you think? Still want to pay for expensive Pottery Barn placemats? No? Didn’t think so.