An Experiment in Placemats

"Green Garden" Placemats (4)
Pattern: original design
Completed: January 2005
Made in: Bellingham, WA
Given to: Carrie Tolley
Machine pieced and quilted on a Pfaff Hobby 301
.
The story: For her birthday and Christmas (they are a week apart) I wanted to make something for my dear, dear friend Carrie. I asked her if she would like a table runner, but she thought placemats would be more practical. So we went to the fabric store and chose the fabric together. After one failed attempt at 1" strips I decided to mix it up and just do a random piecing of different widths of the fabrics. I think it turned out nice. None of them are exactly the same. The funny thing is that when I was finished Carrie wanted me to put them together into a runner. I tried, I really, really tried, but I couldn't make it work - I already had the binding on and everything. I would have had to unpick all the binding and then find a way to join them without it showing. I'm just not that good so she got placemats!

Pink Batiks

"Pink Batiks"
Size: 12 1/4" x 38 1/2"
Pattern: original design
Completed: December 2004
Made in: Bellingham, WA
Given to: Laurelyn Miner

Machine peiced and quilted on a Pfaff Hobby 301

.

The story: Mmmmmm. I love reds and I love batiks, so when I found this red swirl batik fabric, I had to have it. This was another Christmas project for 2004 and I knew my dear friend Laurelyn in Alaska would love the fabric as much as I did. Because I was so ambitious that Christmas (I think I ended up making 4 or 5 table runners for gifts) I had to be efficient in my designs. This was a simple alternating pattern bound with a light striped batik to help the reds and pinks pop.

Red Floral for Billie

Close up to see the flowers and paisleys. I loved this fabric!

On Mike and Billie's beautiful cherry wood dining table.

"Red Floral”
Size: apprx. 12" x 100"
Pattern: original design
Completed: December 2004
Made in: Bellingham, WA
Given to: Billie Bennett

Machine pieced and quilted on a Pfaff Hobby 301

The story: With my new found passion I decided I was ready to make quilt Christmas presents in 2004. This one was for my mother-in-law Billie in Nebraska. She and my father-in-law Mike had just built a beautiful home and I wanted to make her something for her formal dining room. I can't recall where I found the fabric, but it was most likely from Fourth Corner Quilts in Bellingham, WA. I used two coordiating fabrics in 3" wide strips with a contrasting green binding. This was the first time I used strip piecing and it worked great. I believe I just quilted it in the ditch.

Koi Pond

"Koi Pond"
Size: 12 1/2" x 66 1/2"
Completed: Summer 2004
Made in: Bellingham, WA

Machine pieced and quilted on a Pfaff Hobby 301

This quilt is kept on the table in my entryway.

.

The story: This quilt is the result of falling in love with a fat quarter bundle at a little quilt shop in Anacortes, WA. I loved the Asian elements of the fabrics and the boldness of the red. The bundle sat in my craft room for a while until I found the perfect use for it. After having taken two classes I decided I was ready to venture out on my own. I purchased Marsha McClosky's Block Party book of 120 block patterns and went on a search for something I could do with this beautiful bundle of fabric. I knew I needed something fairly basic since I was on my own with this one. I settled on the Stepping Stone block, placed on point with four patch blocks and large triangles to highlight the red coy fabric. Looking at this quilt even now I am pretty impressed with how I put it all together. But I think the credit really belongs to whoever put the bundle together. I remember that I ran out of the red koi fabric and none of the shops in Bellingham carried it, I think I had to have my mom search for it, too. Luckily I found what I needed and was able to complete the project. This is the last quilt I hand sewed the binding on!