What are some good but easy patterns for placemats to make some quick and easy Christmas gifts for coworkers?

you can do an elongated log cabin (rectangular). I've also done pinwheels, or fussy cut a stripe from a focus fabric, and added borders.

here are some I made:
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-137891-1.htm
Kris

I purchased some snowmen placemat panels from JoAnn's. There are 6 to a panel and they were $5 for the panel on sale at 50% off. I purchased several panels and also some dark blue indigo Kona cotton for the backing. They were really easy to do and turned out very cute! Plan to give as Christmas gifts to my secret sister at church and to my neighbors.

You can take a dozen 3.5" squares, sew them together in three rows of four each, and then frame the resulting rectangle with 2.5" strips. Back them any way you like.

This will give you a placemat that's 14" x 16" (assuming 1/4" seams).

You can do the squares all scrappy, or use a planned color combination.

i like doing 6.5 inch sqaure need 2 colors 3 of each goes really fast

Kris your placemats are sew cute :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:

I'd do mug rugs instead..faster and maybe can use at work! I usually have an odd idea...

Right now Elizabeth Hartman is doing a sew along at Sew Mama Sew's blog. You can find her free design and instructions here:http://sewmamasew.com/blog2/2011/10/...-along-part-3/

The other parts are there on the site too.I intend to make these :)

Try free patters.com. I just made Spring Flower Runner and it was very simple. It could be made into a placemat. Doesn't take alot of fabric.