Christmas Placemats

Decided to make some Winter/Christmas placemats this weekend. Used the pattern here: http://freshlypieced.com/2011/05/scrappy-rainbow-placemats-tutorial.html

24 different Christmas or Winter prints plus white. Only took a 2.5" strip of fabric each, really less but I don't cut small pieces off my fabrics. The longest part was moving around the fabrics to get it how I wanted.

I don't have an empty table near my sewing machine so I partially unfolded my cardboard cutting mat and put it on the floor. That was a lot bending over and once I actually sat on the floor. OOF! I don't like sitting on the floor. Or rather, I don't like getting up from that position... I'm not a flexible as I once was.

I managed to piece one entire mat by the end of last night (11:30 pm) and started on the second one. Will have to take photos.

It's a big-ish placemat but that's not a bad thing. The bowties look so cute too.

Saturday was taken up by a work emergency. City Hall completely lost power and the computer systems all crashed. Since I am in IT, this means working on the weekend. At least, it was remote work but still.

I made a little more progress on my 10.5" Selvage Squares. They have a 2.5" strip of black fabric crosswise down the middle first. I haven't decided what it will become yet. I cut some more muslin foundations and pinned some black strips down the middle. They really are pretty.

I paid a blogger I follow postage only for a STUFFED priority mail box of selvage edge strips and boy was it stuffed! I even found a few regular strips of fabric in it. I guess she didn't like them or else they fell into the box by accident. LOL

I need to take photos of them too. I'll also have to count exactly how many I have completed so far. I like that kind of work!

I am a little overwhelmed by the amount of stash increase that I have recently experienced. After my Mom's stroke and spending time with her in NC, I came back with three or more large plastic containers of FAB fabric! I am slowly ironing and ruler-folding it and placing them into my stash shelves.

In fact, one of my shelves collapsed onto my computer table; they were in the wall behind my computer and the shelving was not secure, i.e. the shelf just rested on a couple of boards. If I pressed too hard on the edge, it just shoved all the fabric in my face and onto my table. GAH!

DH fixed the shelf with a long screw on both sides. I am now a happy camper. But I also had to straighten all of the fabrics and re-shelve them.

OH NO! So far I have found two of my mother's UFOs! One just needs the binding and a hanging sleeve (and a label). Another is an applique baby quilt that requires some embroidery before proceeding. At least all the applique is attached! It is weird finding Mom's UFOs.

I don't think she will take up sewing any more. She says she doesn't have time for it. Really? I can't imagine. She is 86, after all. I'm only 60 and still working. LOL