Saturday, September 24, 2022

Green Work, Pumpkin Placemats and DrEAMi! #66

Two thirds of the way through writing this post and I looked at the date and realized tomorrow is the last Saturday of September (just WHERE did that month go?) so I need to double up and make this the DrEAMi post too. The pumpkin placemats at the end of the post are actually a Drop Everything And Make it project!

My RSC work is done for this month. Angela asked us to work some more with blue, but I've already done light blue and turquoises, and I'm itching to work with bright green, so that is what I did, making another hot air balloon block. This makes a total of eight.
I plan to make one more for the layout I have in mind. I think it will be a multi-coloured one.

I made a bright green placemat.

I love the back! This is fabric I'd bought many years ago to use in kaleidoscope quilts. It hasn't found its way into a kaleidoscope, so it's now on the back of a placemat, with the scraps now in the green scraps basket!

It really is a fabulous piece of fabric. I have it in orange too, and you may recall that ended up on the back of my orange placemat.

I now have a lovely set of eight, a beautiful rainbow!


It is so satisfying, having used up a bunch of strings (never enough though; there's still tons and tons of 'em), a bunch of odd pieces and strips of batting, and several chunks of much-loved fabric for backs, to make this stack of placemats.

I was on a placemat roll, and decided to make a couple more in a fall theme. I've just bought the Patchy Pumpkin Farm pattern by White Plains Quilts, and I figured it was a good chance to try her pumpkin block. Then I had the idea to NOT use an 8.5 x 10.5 rectangle of fabric, but to make that rectangle using 2.5" squares, and .... ta-da!

I like doing non-traditional colours.

I just love the birch trees fabric by Jennifer Sampou. Perfect for the pumpkin background. I used the last of two chunks of fabric I won from Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty earlier this year.

The second one:
I hit upon turquoise with gold by accident. I wanted to put the hedgehogs on the back of this second placemat, and was originally going to do turquoise and teal, but then thought ooh, turquoises of a few shades with gold might be pretty...

Yup!

I had to do some inset squares in the corners of each backing, but the quilting hides it very well. I flipped the backing onto the front for the binding. There is nothing left now of either of these fun prints! However, they are going to a good home, where I know they will be used and enjoyed.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern: modified pumpkin block from Patchy Pumpkin Farm
Size: 12" x 18"
Fabric: scraps
Backing: 'Acornwood' by Wendy Kendall for Dashwood Studio
Batting: flannelette
Quilted: on my Bernina
Threads: pieced on my Bernina with Aurifil, quilted on Avril with Sulky rayon and Aurifil cotton, Aurifil in the bobbin


Last month the cutest cat showed up:

Wendy at Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life made this DrEAMi, which, like my pumpkin placemats, was one that got a hold of her and would not let go until she'd finished it completely! A true DrEAMi. Wendy is owned by the cutest ginger cat named Wilbur, affectionately known as Wilbs. He, like all quilt room cats, supervises all the projects. Another QQCC: Quilt Quality Control Cat!

Linking up
Alycia Quilts

Let's see what squirrels have been scurrying around in your quilting room! Link up below.


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23 comments:

  1. Really cute placemats! Using non-traditional colors is a great way to make them more interesting.

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  2. What great Projects. Especially love your Pumpkin placemats, makes the dining table look very jolly. The two backings are super.

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  3. I love those pumpkin place mats...so adorable--hugs, Julierose

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  4. The backing print on the bright green placemat is fantastic, and hooray for using up scraps and fabric in these placemats. I love the non-traditional pumpkin colors!

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  5. Love your placemats! That green backing fabric is so cool! The pumpkins might end up being a DrEAMi project for me - they are so cute! Thanks for the highlight, too - Wilbs was especially delighted to be mentioned. I actually had a DrEAMi this month, but forgot to mention it in the post - haha.

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  6. I really like the non-Halloween colors of the pumpkins and all of your placemats.

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  7. Oh I love those placemats. The background fabric is perfect - I think I have something very similar :-)

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  8. Hi Sandra! Oh, those pumpkin placemats are just the perfect. And those sweet little hedgies are too cute to waste. I missed Wendy's version of the cutest cat but yours is pretty darn spiffy. I can't wait to see where all the hot air balloons end up! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne

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  9. Lovely placemats (especially the background & backing fabrics) & nice to see a Halloween theme that isn't in your face type. I'm sure they will be appreciated & well used by the recipient. Your balloon blocks are coming along nicely & look forward to seeing the quilt you have in mind. Take care & hugs.

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  10. Your pumpkin placemats are just great! I love anything patchwork like that, but what really makes me keep looking are their stems - neat piecing!

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  11. Sandra, i'm so glad you're back!

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  12. I agree that the birch trees print fabric is perfect on your fall placemat. Those pumpkins are really cute, probably because they aren't made with traditional colors. It's great to see how you use your scraps. One of these days I'll get back to sewing them too. I want to make another Sea Glass quilt.

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  13. What a delicious bunch of scrappy projects. I love those non-traditional pumpkin placemats...not sure which one I love more. The turquoise and gold just shine so much and the pink and red looks just as beautiful. How did we get to pumpkin season when it was so hot just a week or two ago?

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  14. The placemats are lovely, especially the pink pumpkin!

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  15. Another cute hot air balloon and lovely placemats. So satisfying to be using those scraps and strings!

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  16. Hi Sandra, the last weekend of the month surprised me too! I couldn't resist linking up my squirrel embroidery project - I thought of you while doing it :-) I love your pumpkin placemats - very cool! Thanks for hosting, take care.

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  17. I love your pumpkin mats! Especially the hedgehog backed one.

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  18. I love seeing your scrappy projects. I especially love a good rainbow.

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  19. I absolutely love your non-traditional color pumpkins! Ya gotta do your own thing!

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  20. Those pumpkin place mats are very pretty, love the fun colors. Definitely a worthwhile Dreami!

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  21. Those mats are so cute!! I love seeing them on your table!! and right? How did this month go SO fast!!!

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  22. Love the pumpkin placemats and that backing on the bright green placemat..yum

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  23. Great job on all your little projects. I kind of love the idea of less fancy placemats full of color for daily use!

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