What's happening

I'm still not finished with the quilt I have talked about in my last 2 posts...but it is almost done! Just a bit more hand stitching of the binding left. 
I keep getting distracted!
I did do a bit of charity knitting along with my knitting club. We knitted washcloths which were packed in shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. 

While I was finishing up the quilting on 'the quilt'...

I had an inspirational idea!
We had been invited to a birthday party and I had previously purchased a felt picnic basket with food from IKEA but I needed something a bit more. 
The idea of a small play picnic blanket popped into my head! 
Does that happen to you?

I stopped what I was doing and took out my graph paper and drew up an idea. 

Then I rummaged through my fabric stash and found the perfect fabric...watermelons!

 This is how it turned out! 

I fused the plates, cup and silverware on to the placemats, then fused the placemats onto the picnic blanket. I used a zigzag stitch around the placemats and straight line around the plates, cup and silverware. 

I added a backing but no batting as I didn't want it too bulky so it would be to easy to fold away. I sewed around the edges right sides together and then turned it. 

I top stitched around the edges and to keep the backing and front together, I straight stitched around the placemats.  

The birthday girl!

You can see a glimpse of the watermelon print backing.

I love giving presents that encourage the use of imagination! 

It can also be educational as she learns to set the table...just use the place settings to show where to place the plates, cup and silverware.