Shamrock Snack Mats

I have spring fever...massive spring fever...it was almost impossible for me to focus on work today, as it was beautiful and sunny outside...still a little cool, but sunny, blue skies. I have several BRD class projects in the works, but I really wanted to be outside "playing" today.

I'm sure part of that is frustration - I am about half done with the Halloween project for the New England Stitcher's Retreat (which I know some of you are VERY anxious to see - and believe me, I am anxious to finish it), but I am at a stopping point until my fabric order arrives - when I started I only had a sample of the fabric - I have been waiting for more than a week for my fabric order from the manufacturer, and it is yet to arrive....so I am in a holding pattern...waiting {sigh}. To try to keep on track and meet my deadlines, I have been finishing up the charting for two other class designs (fabric for those is on order too) and model stitching a springtime release in the evenings.

Tonight, I finished up a quilting project a started a couple days ago...I decided to use the scrap fabric from my St. Patrick's Day "Twisting Star Table Topper" to make a handful of snack mats. I made quick work of cutting the 2" squares by using my AccuQuilt GO! Baby fabric cutter....after cutting 75 squares, I started laying them out in sets of 5 x 5 (25 squares to a mat). I then used one of my favorite ways to piece them together - I fused the 25 squares to a 10" x 10" piece of fusible lightweight interfacing - then pieced them together from the wrong side - it works really slick for smaller pieces of fabric. I added jumbo rick rack around the perimeter of each before attaching the batting and backing. Once they were turned and pressed, I top stitched around the entire perimeter - the finished size is 7.5" x 7.5"....perfect for sprucing up my afternoon snack (a Golden Delicious apple and a handful of raw almonds). I have built up quite a collection of these fun snack mats (mug rugs), thanks to my girlfriends who have made me a nice assortment...along with several I have quilted myself...so much better than a napkin or plate...and definitely more cheerful!