Carpet samples = DIY Easter placemats

This stack of carpet samples has been hanging around my apartment for three years. I picked them up for free on Craigslist. My original plan was to let the girls at camp paint them to make fun prayer rugs. The problem was that cheap craft paint didn’t work, and we didn’t have the budget to spring for something better. Plus, many of the carpet samples are puke-ugly colors (at least to young girls). (This post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a small commission. You can read my full disclosure here.)

So I hung on to the little carpets — planning to create area rugs out of them. And they sat. And sat. And then I moved. And the carpets came with me. I finally got tired of storing them, so I broke them out of the closet last week and started planning. This is the first of several projects I have planned for these rugs. And I can’t wait for you to see them! Click here for my carpet-sample checkers game.

Pom-pom placemats, napkin rings, and Easter eggs, photo

These soft wool carpet samples made excellent placemats. The size was perfect, but the colors were a little drab and mismatched. I fixed that with bright-colored pom-pom fringe. Then I made matching pom-pom napkin rings, which, of course, meant that I had to make napkins for them. Luckily, I had the perfect fabric on hand. Click here for the mitered-corner napkin tutorial.

Then I noticed that my brown eggs looked gorgeous with the colors of these placemats, so I decided to create an Easter centerpiece. A footed bowl, candlesticks, and several more pom poms scattered and glued onto eggs finished the fuzzy tablescape. Happy Easter, everyone!

How to make carpet-sample placemats

Supplies to make carpet sample placemats, photo

SUPPLIES & TOOLS

carpet samples (try checking with your local carpet shop to see if they are discarding any old samples)
pom-pom trim (you’ll need 2 yards of each color to make all these projects)
hot glue gun & glue
scissors

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the pom-pom fringe into two pieces—each about ½ an inch longer than the short side of the carpet sample. Fold under each end of the pom-pom fringe about ¼ of an inch and hot glue it in place. This gives the back a clean look and keeps the fringe from fraying.

Hot glue pom pom fringe to carpet, photo

2. Apply a line of hot glue to the back of the carpet sample. Start at the corner and follow the edge until about halfway down. Lay the pom-pom fringe on top of the glue and press down, lining it up with the edges. Make sure the other end of the fringe reaches the end of the carpet sample. Stretch it out if you need to. Then apply glue the rest of the way, continue laying down the pom-pom fringe, and press down. Repeat on the other side.

How to make felt pom-pom napkin rings out of toilet paper rolls

SUPPLIES & TOOLS

9×12-inch craft felt (1 of each color)
pom-pom fringe (see amount above)
toilet paper roll
utility knife
marker
ruler
rotary cutter & cutting mat (optional)
scissors
hot glue gun & glue

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut the pom poms off the fringe. (You can buy pom poms separately for much cheaper, but the chance that you will find pom-poms that match the color of your pom-pom trim are very slim.

2. Measure and mark 1-inch increments on the toilet paper roll. Repeat at close intervals all the way around the roll. Using a utility knife or scissors, cut horizontally along those marks to create four 1-inch wide rings.

3. Wrap a piece of felt around a cut piece of toilet paper roll to figure out the size of felt you need to line the inside and outside of the toilet paper roll. My felt pieces were about 2⅛ inches wide by 5⅜ inches tall. Measure, mark, and cut the felt to size. Repeat for all four colors.

4. Starting at one end, hot glue the felt around the outside of the toilet paper ring. For a smooth finish, apply a thin layer of glue along the entire surface of the ring — an inch or two at a time. Make sure the ends of the felt meet but don’t overlap.

5. Apply glue to the inside edge of the felt. Fold it over the edge of the toilet paper ring and press down and smoosh into place. For best results, start with the ends of the felt, then the middle, then all the in-between spaces. The felt should appear almost as seamless on the inside as it does on the outside.

6. Starting on the opposite side of the seam, apply a dollop of glue onto the ring, then press a pom pom into the glue. Continue with as many pom poms as you wish. I glued five to each ring, but you can continue all the way around the ring, make a flower in the center, or try other patterns.

To make pom-pom Easter eggs, use leftover pom poms by hot gluing them onto hollowed-out eggs or plastic eggs. Set the eggs on candlesticks to display them.