Tutorial for making these DIY oilcloth, water resistant drink coasters for Summer!

DIY Drink Coasters - Water Resistant fabric and perfect for Outdoor Use and Summer Parties!

DIY Oilcloth Drink Coasters

Hi there!  I’m so thrilled to be back today with this super quick and easy project.  The weather in Seattle has been totally amazing lately and it’s got me thinking about summer.  And, summer entertaining is on the brain! This project will look great on your patios and outdoor spaces. Bonus, it’s totally water resistant too. Let’s take a mini-break and learn how to make these adorable DIY oilcloth drink coasters for gifting or entertaining.

What in the world is Oilcloth?

Oilcloth is a type of fabric.  It has vinyl on one side and kind of a soft mesh of cotton on the other side.  Vinyl has a slippery and plastic-like feel to it. The best part about vinyl is you can wipe it clean and it’s water resistant! This makes oilcloth a perfect fabric choice for outdoor items like tablecloths, COASTERS, beach bags etc.

The other great thing about oilcloth is that it just happens to be made in a multitude of funky patterns and bright colors.  This fabric was made for Summer!  When you get a minute – run a google search for ‘oilcloth fabric’ and you’ll see what I mean.  Such pretty patterns!

So this is the perfect little accessory for all those Summer fiestas and BBQ’ s you have in the works.  Or even for gifting away as little favors.  Tie a cute burlap string around them and presto! You have a lovely handmade housewarming gift.

Perhaps you own a pool or live near the beach?  Or know someone who does?  These coasters make a fantastic DIY gift idea for them.

Here’s the best part: these stylish oilcloth coasters took me 10 minutes to make – start to finish.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Gather materials needed to make oilcloth drink coasters

  • Oilcloth Fabric – I chose these hot pink stripes from Fabric.com
  • Sewing Machine
  • Pinking Shears – these are simply scissors with a serrated edge.  They are used to cut a zig zag pattern in fabric to prevent fraying.
  • Tape Measure (for measuring your coasters to a perfect square)

Instructions:

Start by folding your oilcloth in half.  We need two exact squares to make one coaster (both front and back will be the vinyl, water-resistant side).

Fold your oilcloth fabric in half

Step 1:  Measure out a perfect square on your oilcloth fabric.

measure out your coasters using a tape measure or ruler

I measured approximately a 4 inch square coaster.  (It’s totally up to you on sizing. Most drink coasters are between 3-5 inches square.  For fun you can also cut circles instead of squares. Use a bowl or circle template to make a perfect circle.)

Step 2 :  Use your pinking shears to cut out your measured square.

Cut out the two squares of oilcloth fabric that you previously measured

Since your fabric is folded in half – you can pretty much cut two squares at once.  You can also use regular scissors here and even them with pinking shears after sewing.

Step 3:  Line up your two squares and sew them together vinyl sides out.

sew both layers or oilcloth fabric together

Use use small binder clips (another little sewing trick I use a TON) to hold your two pieces of fabric together while sewing.  I wouldn’t suggest using pins because the holes will be visible even after removing them.

A straight stitch is fine, but feel free to try something fun like a zig zag stitch.

Tips for sewing and working with oilcloth fabric :

Gently feed oilcloth through your machine so it doesn't stick to the presser foot

  • Because oilcloth is vinyl and kind of plastic feeling, it will stick under your presser foot.  To combat this,  use two hands to feed the coaster through.
  • An alternative is to purchase a Teflon presser foot – they are fairly inexpensive and won’t stick to the vinyl fabric as easily.
  • DO NOT IRON OILCLOTH.  It will melt and the mess won’t be pretty.  If your oil cloth is wrinkled, lay it out and throw some heavy books on top for a few days. This usually presses the wrinkles out.  Oilcloth also “releases” more wrinkles when warmed up a bit.  Therefore you can try laying it by a sunny window.  Don’t microwave your oilcoth. 🙂

Step 4:  Use your pinking shears to clean up the edges of your coasters

Even up the edges of your newly sewn coasters with your pinking shears

Simply snip along the edge without cutting through the seam to straighten and clean up the ends.

Guess what?  All done!  See how fast it was making these DIY oilcloth drink coasters?

These coasters look so cute and are perfect for Summer! Pin this image to share with a friend:

Tutorial for making these DIY oilcloth, water resistant drink coasters for Summer!

I don’t know about you, but I may need to mix up a batch of margaritas tonight.  I hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial!

Tutorial for making these DIY oilcloth, water resistant drink coasters for Summer!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, you might want to check out my tutorial on DIY frayed napkins.  They also make a nice gift and pretty setting for your tables.  And for even more inspiration – be sure to check out Brittany’s amazing backyard and patio reveal, what a beautiful space!

Outdoor Garden Patio Party Decorating Ideas | Pretty Handy Girl

You may also like this tutorial for making mosaic tile coasters

Mosaic Tile Coasters | Pretty Handy Girl

…or DIY personalized wood slice coasters.

I’ll be back here next month and I’m looking forward to connecting with you all again soon.

karen signature

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~


karen from decor hintHello!  I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint . I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags.  Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations!  Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths , sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands . I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest , Twitter or Instagram.

social media image 26 ways to decorate with red white and blue

Creative Ways to Decorate with Red, White, and Blue

July 4th is right around the corner. If you like to decorate for the 4th, try using red, white, and blue primary colors to give a patriotic vibe to your home. Red, white, and blue are also perfect for a classic and bright style. This trio of colors enable you to use different prints and textures together. Here are 26 creative ways to decorate with red, white and blue!

Red and Blue Star Pillows are great decorations and they look wonderful year-round.

 

Add blue to your kitchen with this Quick Cutting Board Makeover.

 

Red File Cabinet Makeover using Chalk PaintThis File Cabinet Makeover using Chalk Paint is a gorgeous way to add red to your room.

 

Fingerprinted Envelope Star PillowThese Fingerprint Star Pillows rock the muted red and blue. Plus, the piping adds some elegance.

 

made in usa star shirtsDecorate yourself as much as your home with these Made in USA Star Shirts.

 

 refinished furniture in blue tones

Learn to Update Furniture Like a Pro using paint in blue tones, glaze, and wax.

 

Who says you can’t stain a bed blue! Learn how to make this awesome loft bed.

 

Pine Aqua Dresser MakeoverGive your Pine Dresser a Blue Aqua makeover to breathe new life into old furniture.

 

Add Colors to an Old Dresser by painting just the drawer fronts. For something extra see what was done to the sides.

 

tub storage benchMake a useful Red Tub Storage Bench to brighten up any room and provide extra storage.


faux cross stitch tea towelMake this Faux Cross Stitch Tea Towel
 to add red and white accents to your farmhouse kitchen.

 

Create a fun Reading Nook for your kids using these primary blue and white striped curtains and accent with red tones.

 

backlit bookcaseMake this Blue Bookcase and learn how to add some backlighting for a cool effect at night.

 

red hand painted monogrammed ornamentsUse a little red ribbon to add a special touch to these Hand-Painted Monogrammed Ornaments.

 

Patriotic Denim Bunting TutorialThis Patriotic Denim Bunting Tutorial is great for summertime when you’re going for a festive red, white, and blue theme.

 

hanging bead flower vasesUse different elements like red and white flowers, plus blue beads to make Hanging Beaded Glass Flower Vases.

 

Make a decorative red barn doorA Red Decorative Barn Door can stay up all year-round and be decorated with a variety of seasonal decor items.

 

Patriotic Summer MantelDuring summer use this amazing red, white and blue Decorative Patriotic Mantel for inspiration.

 

twig star decorationsMake your own whimsical White Twig Star Decorations.

 

Blue Bench CushionUse blue fabrics to update your furniture with this tutorial to make a Bench Cushion With Piping.

 

diy art summer blueMake your own Blue DIY Art with this fun paper and the sun!

 

wool roses on a stemRed Wood Roses on a Stem can add a red accent anywhere in your home.

 

blue window resin artPaint an old window in a tone of blue to create this Dream Big Butterfly Window to your wall decor.

 

DIY Decorative MushroomsAdd small elements of red to your plants like little Red Decorative Mushrooms.

 

dry erase message board from a cabinet doorUse red when upcycling a cabinet door into a Dry Erase Message Board.

 

Don’t let winter stop you, create a garden flag using red, white, and blue fabric paint on a placemat. Create your own design  patriotic design!

Remember to pin this image to refer to later and please share on social media!

Check out these 26 creative ways to decorate with Red, White and Blue for some inspiration for bold and bright home decor.

Other posts you may be interested in:

Decorating Ideas for an Outdoor Garden PartyOutdoor Garden Patio Party Decorating Ideas | Pretty Handy Girl

 

How to Decorate Series: Color Harmony in DecoratingHow to Choose Color Harmonies | Pretty Handy Girl

Hi, I’m Sheri from Hazel + Gold Designs. Here are a few fun stats about me: I like love chocolate and peanut butter (together of course.) If you like stats, I have been crocheting for about 16 years, crafting for 20, and woodworking for about 4 years. I found a passion in making and being creative and began documenting my projects online at Hazel + Gold Designs.

When not working on projects, I enjoy spending time with my husband, four children, perfect dog, and ornery cat. You can find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

Read all of Sheri’s tutorials.

~Find more of Sheri’s projects here ~

easy diy yardstick star

Hi there! It’s Melissa from The Happier Homemaker again and I’m excited to share a super easy little DIY decor project with you today!  A few weeks back I was at Lowe’s on a Saturday morning (isn’t that where we all are on the weekends?) While shopping around I saw a bucket of yardsticks in the paint section and had a stroke of inspiration to create this adorable little yardstick star for my mantel! This was one of my favorite types of projects (simple and inexpensive) and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Materials

  • 3 wood yardsticks
  • Saw (I used a circular saw but almost any type will work)
  • Wood Glue
  • Stain

Instructions:

materials yardstick star

Use a saw to cut each of your yardsticks in half at the 18″ line. Set one segment aside so you have 5 total pieces to work with. Read more

easy_sew_star-pillows
As Independence Day nears, why not dress up your home with these easy to sew star pillows?

Easy DIY Patriotic Star Pillows Materials:

  • White felt
  • Blue fabric
  • Red Fabric
  • Blue thread
  • Red Thread
  • Square Pillow Form
  • Scissors
  • Sewing Machine
  • Pins

Instructions:

Start by printing out a large star onto a piece of paper (you can use the Zapf Dingbats font or google “star” to get your image.)

Lay the print out on top of the white felt and cut out the star shape slightly larger than the image. Read more

Learn how to make this White-Washed Patriotic Flag Sign and hang it with pride in your home.

White-Washed Patriotic Sign

White-Washed Patriotic Flag Sign Tutorial

The other day I was at the fabric store but after not finding that perfect fabric for one of my projects,  I went to the other section of the store to take a break from it all.  While there I saw a little sign that read:

This Is A Place We Gladly Call Home…
and for that we are truly thankful

Those words totally spoke to me!  I didn’t buy the little sign but I came home thinking about how to create my own version.  The sign was more expensive than the materials to make my own sign ten times bigger!

Patriotic sign final2

My sign came out beautiful, especially with the large American flag on the background. I’m happy to show you how to create your own White-Washed Patriotic Flag Sign! Let’s make this sign.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Optional: Gold Sharpie marker

Instructions:

Cut off the tops to get rid of the “dog ears.” Mark the area for the blue square on the flag.

fence cut

Add star stickers inside the square. Paint over the star stickers with blue paint. 

adding star stickers to sign

Paint the red stripes next.  After the paint dries, remove the star stickers.  Give your boards a light sanding.

sanding flag sign

You can leave your patriotic sign like this or if you want to give it the white-washed look, continue.

White acrylic paint and water is mixed at a 50-50 ratio to create a white-wash. Apply three coats of the white-wash.  Wait for the paint to dry between coats.

wash out white on sign

Print out your quote on the computer:

This Is A Place We Gladly Call Home…
and for that we are truly thankful

Transfer the lettering onto the boards using graphite paper.

transfering letters onto wood

Using a brown Sharpie, trace the letters and fill them in.

tracing letters on wood

Do you want them a bit fancier?   Use a gold Sharpie to create shadows.

tracing shadows on letters

After the letters are filled in, it will look like this:

sign after finishing letters

Give the letters an extra two coats of the white-wash to make them blend better.

letters wash out

Lightly rub stain on the entire sign.

Staining sign

We’re finished making the White-Washed Patriotic Flag Sign. Now it’s time to assemble and hang the sign.

Assembling the Sign:

To hold the boards together, attach cup hooks and screw eyes between the boards.  (I chose to paint mine silver since I only had gold.)

cup hooks and screw eyes

No need to pre-drill, the boards are fairly soft so the hooks and screw eyes will go in easily.

hooks in place2

Attach two extra screw eyes to the top to hang it onto the wall.

how to hang sign

This was a very easy way to put the sign together, hang it, and… it doesn’t take much space when it is time to store it away!

Patriotic sign final3

I hung some more patriotic decorations and our dining room is ready for a celebration!

Patriotic sign final1

What do you think of this White-Washed Patriotic Flag Sign Tutorial?

Patriotic sign final4

Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  ~ See all Cristina’s Projects ~