Well, my Christmas-y Christmas gift making has begun! I finished up these reversible Thanksgiving/Christmas placemats for a co-worker and friend, and I think they turned out pretty nice!
I used freezer paper to get a template large enough to paper piece both sides. As for the Thanksgiving side, I just strip pieced them and then cut out around my circular template I sewed on. Easy peasy.
The Christmas side was a little more intricate. I got the idea for these hexagon-ish shaped placemats from Katie at fromthebluechair's hexagon shaped quilt. I used the same technique, only on a much smaller scale. I cute 60 degree triangles out of freezer paper that measures appx 9 inches high, and pieced them just like I would have for a string quilt.
Overall I'm happy with the outcome, I wish my strips would have lined up together a little better, but I'm ok with it.
I didn't bind these either, I used the "birthing" method, and sewed the layers together right sides together and then flipped them right side out. I really wanted to use a traditional binding, but I ran into the problem of finding a binding that would match both the reds and greens, as well as the browns and fall colors on the opposite side. This was the easiest solution.
I free motion quilted these in a swirlie pattern, after looking at them, the points in the middle of the swirls kind of remind me of elf shoes! Fitting.
I also got one of my blocks for the 3 x 6 mini bee completed. This block is for Jo, she is making an eye spy quilt for her son for Christmas, she wanted bright blocks that had lots to look at, and left the colors up to us! This is what I made:
I used the wagon wheel tutorial from three kitchen fairies and voila! I used a good bit of Robert Kauffman's playdate fabric, and a few other scraps I had. The backing is Kona turquoise. I hope Jo's son likes it!
I will be linking this post to Amylouwho's sew and tell and Lit and Laundry's Finished for Friday! Stop by and check out everyone's awesome finishes this week!
wow, very lovely! I love the colors!!!
ReplyDeleteThese are fantastic. They look perfect to me. What a clever idea.
ReplyDeleteI love the green-red blocks - fantastic!
ReplyDeletewhat a clever idea for the placemats! I love the fall colors expecially.
ReplyDeleteI love ISpy quilts and this is a fantastic block!
great gifts! I need to get going on my holiday projects!!
ReplyDeletethanks for the inspiration! love your ideas. :)
ReplyDeleteI like that they are not perfect. They are indeed gorgeous. Great inspiration for me to get something done today. Hugs. Tammy
ReplyDeletethese are great and will be perfect for a holiday table.
ReplyDeleteThe placemats looks great
ReplyDeleteNeat idea to make them a circle! They both look great!
ReplyDeleteI love the double-sided idea for the placemats.
ReplyDeleteWow, your placentas are so pretty and clever! I would have never thought of having Thanksgiving on one side and Christmas on the other. What a great idea! Your wagon wheel block is darling too. I just love those fabrics! I found your site through the Sew and Tell links and I'm so happy I stumbled upon the that site, and yours! :-)
ReplyDeleteSo cute to make round place mats! And they are really pretty to boot!
ReplyDeleteAlso... I think there's a typo in the prev comment... (unless you do have pretty placentas????)... Maybe because you used the birthing method...
Great fabrics! Both sides are so festive. What a wonderful gift. Thanks so much for linking up to Finished for Friday.
ReplyDeleteI love the colors on the quilt blocks! I spy fabric are just so much fun!
ReplyDeleteAND - haha to Lisa about the typo!! :)