Come Dine with Me

Come Dine with Me Knitted Placemat and Coaster Set

What Is Being Made

Come Dine with Me is a coordinated table setting collection designed by Arella Seaton Design, featuring a knitted placemat paired with matching coasters. This set combines functional tableware with decorative appeal, suitable for everyday dining or special occasions. The pieces are designed to add an exotic, sophisticated touch to your table presentation while serving practical purposes for protecting surfaces during meals.

Craft and Technique

This project is created using knitting, a fundamental fiber craft that builds fabric from interlocking loops of yarn using two needles. The primary technique featured in this design is mosaic knitting, a color-work method that creates intricate patterned effects by strategically slipping stitches and changing yarn colors. Mosaic knitting produces visually complex designs while remaining accessible to knitters, as it typically works with only one color per row, eliminating the need for complex color-carrying techniques like stranding or intarsia.

Stitches and Pattern Details

The Come Dine with Me set employs mosaic pattern stitches to create its distinctive visual design. The pattern utilizes knit stitches as the foundation, combined with strategic slip stitches that allow the yarn colors to layer and create the mosaic effect. The design is charted, with contrasting colors indicated in the pattern charts to guide stitch placement and color changes throughout the project.

Materials and Specifications

The samples were created using Patons UK 100% Cotton 4 Ply yarn in two colors: Black (#7461690) and Hazelnut (#1504270). The project is worked on 3 mm / US 2½ needles, which are appropriately sized for 4 ply fingering-weight yarn.

Yarn Requirements

• Placemat: 45 g / 1.6 oz (150 m / 164 yards) of main color and 45 g / 1.6 oz (150 m / 164 yards) of contrasting color
• Coaster: 10 g / 0.35 oz (33 m / 36 yards) of main color and 10 g / 0.35 oz (33 m / 36 yards) of contrasting color

Gauge and Sizing

The project is worked at a gauge of 27 stitches x 56 rows = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4 inches in the mosaic pattern using 4 ply yarn. While gauge is noted as not crucial to this project, variations in gauge will affect the finished size of both the placemat and coasters, as well as the total yardage required. Selecting different yarn weights and corresponding needle sizes will result in different finished dimensions.

Skill Level

Rated as advanced beginner, this project is suitable for knitters who have mastered basic knitting fundamentals and are ready to explore color-work techniques. The mosaic knitting method provides an excellent introduction to multi-color knitting without the complexity of managing multiple colors simultaneously within a single row.

Format

Come Dine with Me is available as a downloadable PDF pattern, allowing immediate access to complete instructions, charts, and abbreviation guides for this independent designer project.