I am never buying another panel. There, I said it. I mean it. Really. I always have such a hard time deciding what to do with all the bits and pieces. Do I sash them and fit them into a quilt? Do I add them to other fabric for a tote bag like my Coffee Tote? Well, this panel is the last one I have, and I decided to quilt all the bits and make a lot of little things. I have had this thing for several years. This year I am going to finish it up! It is Autumn themed, so it is now or next year.
I was going to load it as one piece, but I had the two Maple Leaf table runners to do too. It wouldn’t fit as one piece, so I cut apart the individual motifs, and laid them out along the extra wide backing remnant in my stash. What else are you going to do with a piece of fabric 108 inches wide but not that long?
So, I loaded it all up. In total there are two table runners, two wall hangings, four placemats, eight potholders and two hot mats.
I began by stitching down all the edges close to the edge, so I can use a pantograph across several items without lifting up the edges.
This pantograph is 14 inches wide, and I have loaded the items longways on the frame, so I can do 100 inches of panto in one pass. It is a dense leaf pattern called Luscious Leaves. It has a lot of turns and sewing in different directions, so it gives me good practice at moving the longarm. You can see how it works across several items at once. The only problem was the length was more than one bobbin, so I kept running out of bobbin thread on every pass. Annoying, but at least I was expecting it. (Update, now I use Bottom Line and get easily twice as much sewing out of every bobbin.)
Of course, it meant I had to make 17 miles of binding, LOL, but that was OK. It was a way to use up the striped print.
Other than cutting one out for a border on one of the Maple Leaf table runners, I could not figure out what else to do with it. The wall hangings can also be used as table toppers, and the two lovely ladies that work at my office keeping everything running smoothly received them along with a matching potholder.
The rooster placemats will be used on the game table for breakfast and lunch.
The pilgrims look nice with them.
Naturally the potholders will be used in the kitchen. Here was a happy accident, I sewed the binding on the wrong side of one.
Then found the hand work went a lot easier whipping it down on the front.
The eggs and chickens potholders can be used throughout the year.
The best part is this panel is done, and parts have been gifted in time to use for the holiday. The lovely autumn themed placemats and runners are being used this season. Amazing, I actually got them finished this year!
From My Carolina Home 
That quilt is so beautiful. My husband bought me a long arm about 3 years ago. After a 7 hr. session with the “installer” I had a headache and said “that’s enough”. I haven’t touched the machine since. I know, that’s bad. We have a friend who is going to school to learn the machine and he has promised to get me up and running soon. I’ll be glad, I’m tired of hearing my husband say “are you ever going to use that machine?”. It scares me to death.
Lynn
Have a great weekend.
You can’t always control who walks into your life, but you can control which window you throw them out of.
Date: Sat, 22 Nov 2014 12:53:35 +0000 To: lynndianne55@hotmail.com
This is great — wonderful use of odds and ends. Last year I made 2 sets of 8 placemats, one set for each daughter. I used one LONG stretch of fabric as the backing, and a different “top” fabric for each girl. They weren’t pieced, just pretty and suitable for their lives. You’re right, the binding was the thing that slowed me down! But once I got over the idea of it, it actually went fine.
Another time I had several things of varied shapes and sizes, small pieces, and did them all on one backing in similar fashion. I just basted them on one after another and rolled as I went. I don’t do many small pieces, so that wouldn’t work often for me. But it was a good use of the fabric on hand for those.
I think i have asked before but where do you purchase your pantographs? I am trying to get started and overwhelmed.
I use mainly Willow Leaf Studio, Electric Quilters, Lorien Quilting, and Intelligent Quilting.
Rosemary b here:
I agree with you about panels.
Another 4 years or less, You will suddenly find another wonderful panel, and forget your vow to never again enter panel land
Panels. We buy them because we think we might have a great plan, later we think, okay, I will just fold you up and put you over there for now…. hahahaha
These turned out great, So glad you got them off to loved ones.
Mark my words, Missy. There is another panel out there calling you.
I have a few upstairs in my fabric lair. I need to make a small box of them so I can do something with them
Well done
I’ve never purchased a panel because I’m never sure what to do with it. Yours turned out lovely and it’s great you found so many uses for the pieces. Good job!
I love what you did with the panel. And I understand what you mean about not buying more. I gave one away this week. But I’m sure I’ll still buy more sometime. 🙂
Congratulations on using up the panel and moving on!
What an ingenous idea though!! You table looks beautiful…I esp. lov eyour pumpkin bowls! (And thanks for posting the Two Bags FUll button for January….as I didn’t see that up yet!) Happy Thanksgiving!!
You are just too funny my friend…. Even though you didn’t know what to do it worked out beautifully. I’m sure the lovely ladies at work are pleased that you didn’t know what to do 😉 Hugs… Karen
Aaaaahhhhhh – I am drooling….seriously. The panel quilt is just breathtaking, and I really, really am coveting the placemat. So beautiful! PS. Your cover photo of the mountains in fall colour is beautiful…visiting your blog has made my day! Thanks!
Well you sure did figure out what to do with that panel! And your pilgrim figures look like they have a lot more fun than mine; mine are rather serious looking and a little scary.