Should I try to harden my placemats or leave them as is?

[CrochetisCrack2001]

I'm pretty new to crochet, and I'm doing some placemats for my mom for Christmas. I remember back in the day I used to see crocheted placemats that were real stiff. Does anyone do that anymore or should I give them as is....floppy . If stiffening...what do you use exactly? Thanks!

[ratdog]

I assume these placemats will be USED at dinner and other meals. They will need to be washed. I would leave them as is.

[CrochetisCrack2001]

I believe they will be....but who knows with my mom. She may like them so much she decides to yank them up at every meal haha.

[MaryPat]

;)If you buy placemats in the store, they seem to be un-stiffened these days, so your crochet ones will be trendy if you don't stiffen them.

[mamarose22]

If you are making the placemats with thread, then you can stiffen them lightly with some of the stiffeners on the market. If you are using the cotton yarn like Sugar and Cream, then I don't think it would be necessary.