More Presents...The Final Show!

So I only have two more projects to show that I completed for Christmas 2011.  The second lot of tableware and the wall hanging.

So first to the tableware.  I asked the recipients what colours they would like, all I was told was "Not Pink!", so that left a lot of scope.  Luckily I noticed a few things around their flat/unit the last time I was there and come up with the below colour scheme.  I wanted to do something simple yet fun, so I decided on simple strips and a large square. 

I decided on minimal quilting, as these were for males, so the "less is more" adage fit well.  I made 6 place-mats in total, all with the coloured strips in different combinations, but always finishing with the green one and the large brown square.  I used a variegated green thread for the quilting & ditch stitching, and again the tea dyed calico to bind and back them.  As I forgot to take photo's or measure them before I gave these away, this is the only photo I have of them.  I think the dimensions are 9" x 12" and that the strips were cut at 1.5".

I wonder if the secret on the back has been discovered yet ...

So on to the final piece made for Christmas 2011.  This is what I gave to my Mum.  I had spotted this panel on the BeBe Bold website in one of their Sales. I had it long before I knew what I wanted to do with it.  I knew I wanted to put some Sashiko stitching on it, and was going to do a spray over the printed Sashiko on the panel itself, but as you can see I only stitched a little on the print, and made a star quite by accident.

I also shadow quilted with a variegated blue sewing cotton around the square of printed Sashiko.  I think I could have shadow quilted around the lady too, but didn't think of it at the time, it might have anchored the quilting a little more.  Oh well, hind sight is always 20/20.

So after doing those two things I decided it needed something else.  I took it into work to show my friends and described what I wanted to do.  The opinion was that the white Sashiko thread might be a little stark on the outer edges. I had completely forgotten I had a blue to white variegated Sashiko thread too.  So the results are below. I also shadowed the lines with machine stitching, but did not stitch over the Sashiko thread, instead stopped and started o the other side of each row.  I can tell you there was much frustration in the sewing of these!

A close up of the detailed Sashiko stitching.

I backed the wall hanging with a bright blue & dark blue leaf print that I bought on the fly.  I literally picked it as I walked to the checkout/cutting table at Spotlight!  I think it works really well, and was surprised myself.  I also added a channel on the top, in case Mum wanted to hang it on the wall.  I whip stitched the binding down on the back and used a calico coloured thread, so made it a feature of the back for something different.  Again I was so focused on giving the present I forgot to take a photo of the back! 

So here it is in it's finished form!