Project excerpted from One Ball Knits Gifts: 20 Stylish Designs Made with a Single Ball, Skein, Hank, or Spool Summer is all about keeping it cool and casual, and this table setting does both. The simple stitching and the added I-cord–woven napkin ring make it an easy hostess gift for a casual summer dinner party or a trendy wedding gift for newlyweds. Skill Level: Beginner Finished Measurements: Placemat Length:17" / 43.2cm and Height: 13 1/2" / 34.3cm Napkin Ring Diameter: 2" / 5.1cm Yarn: 1 skein of South West Trading Company Bamboo (100% bamboo, 100g = 250 yd/228.6m per skein) in color #521-Sky or approximately 250 yd/228.6m medium-weight bamboo yarn in sky blue Materials: • Size 6 U.S. (4mm) needles, or size needed to obtain gauge • Straight pins • Stitch marker • Tapestry needle Gauge: 22 sts = 4" / 10cm over St st Always take time to check your gauge. Pattern Notes: • The placemat is worked in one piece. The cording is worked, woven, and sewn to the placemat. There are 6 I-cords—3 long and 3 short. See schematic for placing cording on placemat. • The cording for the napkin ring is woven and joined at the ends to form a circle. There are 4 I-cords— 1 long and 3 short. See schematics for instructions. Special Abbreviation: Sm: Slip marker Placemat: CO 95 sts. Knit 4 rows. Row 5 (WS): K4, pm, purl across to last 4 sts, pm, k4. Row 6 (RS): K4, sm, knit across to last 4 sts, sm, k4. Rep Rows 5 and 6 until piece measures 12½"/31.8cm. Knit 4 rows. BO all sts. Cording for Placemat: Make a total of 6 I-cords as follows: (Make 3 long I-cords): CO 4 sts, work in I-cord until cord measures 15 1/2" / 39.8cm. BO all sts. (Make 3 short I-cords): CO 4 sts, work in I-cord until cord measures 12 1/2" / 31.8cm. BO all sts. Cording for Napkin Ring: Make a total of 4 I-cords as follows: (Make 1 long I-cord): CO 4 sts, work in I-cord until cord measures 13 1/2" / 34.2cm. BO all sts. (Make 3 short I-cords): CO 4 sts, work in I-cord until cord measures 6" / 15.2cm. BO all sts. Finishing and Assembly Placemat: 1. Weave in ends. 2. Block placemat to finished measurements. 3. Arrange placemat I-cords according to placemat schematic 4. Weave I-cords vertically and horizontally as shown. 5. Secure I-cords to RS of placemat by whipstitching ends between garter st border and St st body on all 4 sides. 6. Secure I-cords to placemat base by stitching from underside of I-cord to placemat, so the I-cord will not move. 7. Weave in remaining ends. Napkin Ring: 1. Arrange 3 short I-cords horizontally as shown in the schematic. 2. Weave the long I-cord through all 3 short I-cords as shown in the schematic, making sure the weaving is even. 3. Secure ends of all I-cord edges to adjacent I-cords. 4. Join and secure ends of entire piece together to form a ring. 5. Weave in ends. Design Tip: After blocking, spray the back of your work with starch to stabilize the fabric. Courtesy of One Ball Knits Gifts - available at Amazon.com.