How to be a quilter on the go (and TDIPT!)

Do you love to decorate your house with little seasonal displays the way I do? Well, if you do you cannot have too many little candle mats and table runners. I have quite a collection of table runners, and I love to change them out a lot. It really gets me motivated to do the housekeeping, when I can decorate a table or counter top with a pretty little handmade runner or mat. PLUS, they are super fun to make!

I really had fun with this little charmer. I call it the Prairie Table Mat.Blue and red were such popular colors in the 19th century-I think because they were dyes that actually stayed vivid for a long time, instead of fading. Anyhow, it is just 13 inches square-the perfect size to tuck into a little corner, or with your dolls or bears. I started this on Tuesday-cut and sewed all of the little half square triangles. Then Isabel and I headed to the pool to meet some friends and my BFF's and I sat around the pool chatting and tearing off the paper backs. Thanks girls! We are the queens of multi-tasking!

Then I came home, made dinner, and sewed up this cute little quilt!

On Wednesday I put the layers together and got busy hand quilting it with over dyed perle cotton(from Valdani-love that stuff!), using the "big stitch method! Really big running stitches intended to show!

All I had left was the binding, so I sewed that on and finished up the handwork at Isabel's basketball open gym! I loved this sweet and simple project! And if you love it too, hop on over to TDIPT for more details!

Also this month is the finished wool felt Bee Hive Candle Mat that I sneak peeked a few days ago. I'm telling you, if you enjoy handwork, wool is the way to go. It is so quick, easy and portable, and always turns out GREAT! 

A great place to get started is Primitive Gatherings website-they have so many kits, all the wool included and great instructions. Give it a try, you will love it!

xx
~Annie