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These placemats make a unique gift which can be bought in quantities to fit any need and so far I've discovered no commercial competition!

A set of six decorated mats with six plain napkins sells easily for $6 to $9, depending on the material and the complexity of the design.

Your major expense will be time, not money. For the above set, material cost me about $2.20, the paint not more than 50 cents (after the initial supplies had been purchased), and once you have cut the stencil, it can be adapted to aprons, tea cloths, dish towels as the demand and your ingenuity permit.

In one month alone, while attending school in Eugene, Oregon, by day, I made and painted eight sets of mats and decorated an apron and linen doily set which matched a dish pattern. Altogether this was worth almost $60, which meant $40 to $45 profit for work done in a few spare evenings and Saturdays.

The process is simple: The most effective sets combine solid-colored napkins with decorated mats, or solid-colored mats with the pattern on the napkins.

YOUR BASIC paint kit should include the following:

A reputable brand of textile paints in these colors—white, black, red, yellow, blue, green, orange, violet and brown.

Paint extender, thinner and cleaner.

Four or more natural bristle stencil brushes—of varying sizes, including one hard-tipped, pointed brush for fine, freehand lines.

A metal muffin tin in which to mix colors.

Several large sheets of waxed stencil paper.

Small sticks or toothpicks for mixing paints.

A board at least 6-by-12 inches—covered with blotter paper.

(Most of these items, plus a basic instruction book, can be obtained by purchasing a starter kit for textile stencil painting.)

The material used for placemats depends upon the type of dishes and whether the design is to be on the napkins or mats. If the design will be on the napkins, I usually choose colored monks cloth for pottery dishes. An open-weave, rayon-orlan material makes a fancier dark mat for china.

If you plan to paint on the mats, you are usually limited to white beige or very pastel material. The texture of linen toweling goes well with pottery, while butcher rayon takes paint easily and blends with the richness of china.

Indianhead, with its natural stiffness and wide range of colors is ideal for napkins. I use butcher rayon for napkins on which I plan to paint.

Most material should be washed and pressed before cutting and painting. The size of mats may range from thirteen to fifteen inches in width and from seventeen to twenty-two inches in length. Napkins should be twelve inches square for luncheon napkins and eighteen inches square for dinner-size napkins.

Before cutting the placemats, pull threads to insure straight edges. Fringe the mats ½ to ¾ inch and the napkins about ¹/3 to ½ inch. Then, using matching thread, stitch on the line where the fringe meets the material. This prevents further fringing and loose threads when the articles are laundered.

To ADAPT a design from a set of dishes, obtain from your customer a plate or saucer bearing the design which she wants reproduced. In most cases, I use a plate as a model, sometimes simplifying or reducing the pattern.

I draw most of my designs freehand, using the plate as a guide. On the other hand, you can get the main outline and size of the design by laying a sheet of thin paper over it and sketching the basic shape. Details can then be added freehand.

Keep the design simple. Fine lines or details can be added freehand with a stiff, pointed brush. If the dish design has several shades of one color, it is best to simplify this shading to two tones—a light and a dark.

If you prefer to use stencils, cut the stencil paper about two inches larger than the actual design, one piece of paper for each color or shade. Now, lay the pattern over the stencil paper and transfer the design to each sheet separately with a sharp pencil. Cut out the sections for a different color on each sheet.

By holding all the cut stencils together up to the light, you can check to see that all the parts of the design fit.

Follow the instructions with your paints for mixing colors, letting the plate serve as a color guide. Test the mixed paint on a scrap of cloth for the right consistency and color (many colors look lighter in the pan than on the cloth).

When the paints are mixed, stretch the cloth on which you plan to paint over the blotter-covered board, fastening it with thumb tacks.

Center the first stencil on the material, marking the position with a right angle of tacks or tape in one corner. This will make it possible to get the other stencils in correct position. Secure the stencil with several thumb tacks to prevent slipping.

Dip a brush, now, into the first color, work the paint evenly through the bristles and wipe any excess paint on a rag.

Use a firm, stippling action, working from the outer edge of the design toward the center. Working the color into the material with repeated strokes gives a brighter, lasting color. Leave small areas of lighter color or intensity in larger areas to give depth to your design.

Do each color carefully, lining up each stencil with the corner tack or tape mark. Wipe the stencils with a cleaner-soaked rag to keep paint from gumming up the surface.

When textile paint stands for over fifteen or twenty minutes, it will become tacky and thick. However, a few drops of thinner stirred into the paint will get it back to the right consistency.

Follow the same procedure on each article, hanging the items up when painted. Let the design dry for twenty-four hours (or as long as the paint instructions direct).

When finished, clean the brushes and paint tins with rags and cleaner.

To set the design, after it has dried thoroughly, press it right side up with an iron for a full minute. Use a semi-damp pressing cloth between the iron and the design. This makes the paint more colorfast when laundered.

Finally, press out the mats and napkins, box them, and you have completed a set of lovely, truly different placemats.

TO SELL my placemat sets, I decided to try a "stationery salesman" technique. I made up several sets for friends, selling them at a lowered price or presenting them as gifts. Then I asked each person to mention my name, address and hobby whenever they had the mats out for luncheons or teas. I also quoted standard prices to my saleswomen and promised them discounts on any sets they ordered for themselves or to give as gifts.

One neighbor, after using her mats at an afternoon coffee get-together, got orders for me for four twelve-piece sets (six mats and six napkins). I found many other "volunteer" salesmen once things got started. Many purchasers would pass on my name and address to their friends who admired a placemat set I had painted for them.

I debated about selling through retail stores. At present my college work has kept me from going out into this larger market, but I have talked with local merchants and worked out an arrangement for the future.

The plan will work like this: I shall make up sample mats and napkins to match some of the pottery or china carried by the local store. The store will then display these samples, with a price list, and take orders to relay on to me. For this service, I've agreed to pay the store a 10 to 15 per cent commission on all sales.

When I have time to branch out into this market, I will concentrate on using quality material and copying designs from the more expensive dishes. This will give me placemat sets which will bring a better price to cover the store's commission and still yield a good profit for me.

I have found this hobby readily adaptable to persons with varying amounts of spare time. Even a working person or student can work textile painting into his limited spare moments. On the other hand, the person with more leisure can branch out into selling through retail stores as I outlined above.