So we went on another little vacation, which, if you’ve been following, means three more finished placemats for Meals on Wheels. Slowly, slowly, all those Bear Paws I made in 2020 are getting used. There is a part of me that really wants to make a bigger quilt, but this feels like a worthwhile project, so I may finish before starting on something else. Also the holidays are coming up, which means I have other things to keep me busy, and small projects may be best.
Anyway, let’s get to the placemats and then some autumn photos from our little trip. I made all of the placemats before we left on vacation and did the hand sewing on the bindings in the evenings in our cabin. As usual, the placemats are all 14 by 18 inches, pieced on my Featherweight and quilted on my Singer 115 treadle. The blocks I chose as starting points for this round were nature related: water and wildflowers and other plants—the sorts of things we like on our vacations. I found some 2 1/2 inch squares to go with the watery Bear Paws for the first placemat, and supplemented them with strips. I sewed columns of random scraps for the back. A quick stipple for quilting and some leftover Grunge for binding made a fun finish.
I found more squares and strips to supplement the blocks for the front of the second placemat and used cut-offs from old backings to make the back. I had a fat quarter of fabric with various blue stripes that with some fussy cutting and piecing made my favorite binding of the three.
Now, you might not think that the third placemat looks like anything inspired by nature. I certainly didn’t. Until we came across a plant during a hike on our previous vacation. All of the leaves were a rich black on one side and gray on the other. I have no idea why. Maybe it was some sort of mold or disease, but the colors were so even. The leaves were curled somewhat, but mostly intact without holes or visible decay. So strange. But now I can say that black and gray are colors of nature, so here’s my third natured-inspired placemat, again made with squares and strips of scraps, and columns made of scraps for the back. Leftover black and white binding fabric made the perfect frame.
7 comments:
Perfect weather for your trip and some stunning pictures. Great placemat finishes and I love how you themed them to your trip. xx
love lighthouses and the vacation photos - Lake Michigan has some beautiful places to see
These are lovely!! It is always nice to hear from you - Hopeful but not calm - that is great way to describe the turmoil we are all experiencing. I am excited for Tuesday and also so nervous for the outcome. Crossing fingers and toes until then.
I love those bear paw placemats - each successive one became my "new" favourite - and the black and grey one definitely topped my list! Thanks for sharing your vacation photos - the sunsets and beach scenes will be lovely reminders of a wonderful reminder when the snow starts flying... (Last year, we got about 5" of snow on Nov. 1st! It only lasted a day or so, and it was pretty while it lasted, but I'll take a beachy sunset almost any day!)
What beautiful placemats and absolutely stunning photos! Thank you for bringing so much beauty into my life, especially now.
I love the idea of turning your bear paw blocks into Meals on Wheels placemats!!! Fun vacay photos, too!!
I always enjoy seeing the creative ways you make your bear paws into placemats! Thanks for sharing the beautiful scenery you saw on your vacation, too. Such an amazing place!
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