Sew and Tell - I made it!

This is the pair of spring themed placemats that I made for my boyfriend and me. They don't match, I know, and it is on purpose. Actually, I selected a bunch of fabrics that I thought could express some spring elements. I showed them to my boyfriend and he chose what he liked best (green flowers and elves). Mine was a no brainer, I knew I had to have lovebirds and those gorgeous Nicey Jane flowers.

I have to admit that I had doubts that I would finish them in time to use before spring turned to summer, though, even if there are still a few months ahead. My challenge resided in hand quilting, which I had never done before. The least I can say is that I am not a natural, and some of my stitches on the reverse look pretty bad. But it was a first experience, and I am glad only that I made it through. I really like the more handmade look of my own stitches.

For the border on my placemat, I used some pink fabric that I don't particularly like, but I think it makes good bias tape. On my boyfriend's, I used some orange bias tape that I had around, and it matches the orange thread that I used in the quilting.

This is only my second time around playing Sew and Tell, but it really gave me a motivation to finish those placemats on Wednesday (my day off from work), so I could join in the fun today! There are lots of other great projects to see on Amy's blog, and some happy news to share. Make sure you go visit!