Orange Set Complete

When my youngest was 3, she decided that she wanted an orange plate for her birthday. The idea lodged in her mind after walking through a department store and seeing a summer picnic display. We already had orange patio glasses so she was happy for awhile with a set of 2.Then for Christmas when she was 9, she wanted orange cutlery. A wonderful Etsy seller, bdbear, graciously made a custom order for us, as the only other option would have been disposable ware.

Now this year for her 11th birthday, she asked for an orange placemat and an orange napkin. I found a set of 2 new orange napkins at a thrift shop, and with the help of my friend Brenda, I scrounged enough orange fabric scraps to make a strip pieced quilted placemat.

It was actually quite easy to make, and I may need to make some more (in other colours) for the rest of us! I used an old polyester mattress pad for the batting and sewed the strips directly to this. Then I added the back, quilted it in straight rows parallel to the strips, and added the binding. Usually I hand sew the binding to the back, but this time I did a "no hand sewing" method, sewing the binding first to the back, flipping it over to the front, and then top stitched it from the front. Easy peasy, and best of all, the only cost was the $0.99 for the napkins. Here's what the back looks like, and this side goes face up when C thinks she might eat something that makes a stain on the placemat.

The funny thing is, orange is not her favourite colour, and never has been. Her current favourite colour is sunshine yellow. I wish I could remember what it was like to think like a child.