Wednesday, January 15, 2014

First Finish of 2014: Slabby Placemats

I'm delighted to finally present this finish! These placemats were a barter arrangement with my friend Steve who did wonderful work to design my business cards and logo. Go check out his website!

He actually refused payment but I badgered him until he agreed that perhaps he and his wife could use some placemats. Nearly a year later, I delivered!

Placemats

During the process of creating the slabs for these placemats (using Cheryl Arkison and Amanda Jean Nyberg's technique from Sunday Morning Quilts), I also made the slabs necessary to create some fabric boxes to contain my scraps, of which there are many, even after making these placemats and the other slabs. Proof positive that I need a different scrap storage/management strategy!

Slab placemats

I backed the placemats in Essex Yarn-dyed linen/cotton in Black, and the organic straight(ish) line quilting was done in a matching colour to the front, using a walking foot.

Placemat backs

The placemats are each bound in a polka-dot fabric that matched the placemat. It would appear that I am a big fan of polka dots as everything that went into these placemats came from my stash.

placemat stack

I attached the (bias) binding to the back of the placemat then brought it to the front and attached it using my Janome's ditch-quilting foot. It worked well! The placemats measure 12.5" by 18.5" and I am really, really pleased with them.

22 comments:

  1. I love them! I have the Sunday Morning Quilts book but I haven't tried the slab technique. We need placemats and a new runner, looks like I have a new project to get together!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Striking! I really love these. They stand out in a very good way!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Just saw you on 31 Inspiring Quilters on the Sew Mama Sew Blog!!! Congratulations!!!! :)
    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love, love, love these, Felicity! I need to use up more scraps so I may just do this too! Love the dot bindings!

    ReplyDelete
  5. WOW! These are stunning! The polka dots are the perfect finishing touch!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love these too and weirdly enough I was thinking of doing some black slab placemats for myself! I'll add it to my (massive) to-do list.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love every little detail of these placemats!!! Such a great idea and I always have a set on my kitchen table too! Something like these would really brighten my kitchen!! Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I like these so much! And, like you, I've never met a polka dot that I didn't like!!

    ReplyDelete
  9. great idea. i make placemats to donate to seniors centres and this would fulfill two goals: donate to someone to brighten their meal tray and reduce my stash!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I love them too. What a great way to use up scraps. I'm going to have to borrow that idea myself.

    ReplyDelete
  11. These. Are. Beautiful! I love the crazy-quilt/made-fabric look, and the rainbow effect of the finished product. Lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  12. They look lovely! I tried the slab method for the first time this month with some floor cushions I made. I really like the look of them, but I must say it hurt my brain a bit to go completely scrappy and random and not cut to a particular size!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Is it possible to purchase the pattern for these placemats?? I love them and would love to make them as gifts.

    ReplyDelete

I *love* comments, and I try to respond to every one by email (but I can't if you're a no-reply blogger!). So go on, don't be shy - leave one to let me know you've stopped by!