Something a little softer

 After the bold bright Anvil project I needed something soft and pretty and more traditional. It is not that I don't like the anvil flimsy. it is growing on me, especially after Jack said he likes it and doesn't see what I am fussing about.  After I make something artsy or wild or modern I always have a need to do something traditional.
Last September I purchased a fat quarter bundle of Moda "Mimi" By Chez Moi with nothing in mind but the colors and patterns were calling my name.
When I decided that I wanted to make "Take Four" placemats, designed by Cary Flanagan  I went back a bought a yard of something for the backing. After Christmas I split the fat quarter bundle with my daughter ( I am hoping she will be bitten by the quilting bug). the bundle had 7 fat quarters so I needed one more and I was fortunate to find a small selection of half yard cuts at the same quilt shop. I chose the kind of quiet blue and green print.

This is the front of one of the placemats, it is the one I thought I was not going to like when I had only the horizontal strips sewed together. Now that the vertical strips are stitched in place I like it a lot. I will stitch in the ditch and then something else but I am not sure yet what it will  be.

This is the back of all of the placemats. I considered  using that pink/red fabric for binding but decided to just turn the placemats pillowcase style so I didn't have to go back and look for more of that fabric.  When I turn something pillowcase style I don't want to deal with closing an opening on the edge; I am never really pleased with the way it looks.  I always piece the back and leave an opening in the seam for turning and either close it by hand or a strip of fusible web. Well...If I have one seam, why not two seams and why not use the left over quarter yard of the blue and green leafy print.

  Voila, reversible place mats.

I seldom use patterns or make anything according to instructions but I followed this pattern to the letter. I like the design, it is easy to follow, it is fast, I didn't have to figure out how much yardage I needed and I knew it would turn out the way I expected as I have used the pattern before.