California Sunset Fade Placemats
2015 Finished Quilts, Quilted Placemats

California Sunset Fade {Placemats}

I had a lot of fun making this set of 4 placemats for friends last week. Now that they have received the placemats, I can tell you about them!

California Sunset Fade Placemats

California Sunset Fade Placemats

My friends are amazing individuals, and a wonderful couple. She fell in love with flying on their first date and is a certified pilot now, too. They built a custom airplane together that he races at the Reno Air Races (Wasabi Air Racing). You know, pretty typical things to do in your spare time. 😉

Library of Congress

Photo Credit: Pop Wed Co.

Recently, they traveled to Washington D.C. with their family and close friends and got married in the Library of Congress (*love*).

Library of Congress2

Photo Credit: Pop Wed Co.

I fell in love with the colors of their wedding and how well they coordinated with the impressive architecture of the building. I have also been itching to dig into my bundle of Denyse Schmidt solids that I split with Renee @Quilts of a Feather. With their wedding photography as an inspiration point, I pulled the yellows, oranges, and reds from the Denise Schmidt solids and found a very happy color fade.

Denise Schmidt Solids - Fabric Pull

Denise Schmidt Solids – Fabric Pull

Because the colors remind me so strongly of the golden sunsets we get here in California, I quickly named the grouping California Sunset Fade. To make the placemats, I simply cut 2.5-inch wide strips of each of the colors and chain sewed them together in color order. The grouping finished at 12.5-inches, and I trimmed down the width to 18.5-inches. Each strip left me with a bit of excess, which I trimmed into a 2.5-inch wide by 12.5-inch tall stripe. I used the stripes in the pieced backing for the placemats.

California Sunset Fade Placemats

California Sunset Fade Placemats

When I placed the fabric order for the Cocoa Leaf Medallion quilt, I received a yard cut of Kona Dimensions in Buttercup instead of Kona Solid in Buttercup. The order was corrected, but I was left with a yard of this fun textured fabric. I used most of that yard for the rest of the pieced backing.

California Sunset Fade Placemats

California Sunset Fade Placemats

I polled my Instagram followers to get some help on selecting the binding for the placemats. I had auditioned a red Alison Glass Mercury print and a black Carolyn Friedlander text print along with what you can see I used. I was struggling to decide when looking at the binding against the front, but with all the yellow on the backing, it became obvious to me that the yellow / orange blender would compliment both sides better than the other two options. The good news is that the binding I used was even the winner of the popular vote!

Binding Voting Results

I quilted the placemats with my walking foot and simple straight line stitching. I color coordinated the thread, using 50wt Aurifil 2130 over the 3 yellow stripes, 50wt Mettler 594 over the 2 orange stripes, and 50wt Mettler 600 over the red stripe. I used 50wt Aurifil 2130 in the bobbin and I also used the 2130 to machine sew down the binding.

California Sunset Fade Placemats

California Sunset Fade Placemats

It took me approximately 4 to 4.5 hours to make these placemats, and after quilting and squaring, they finished at 12-inches high by 18-inches wide (prior to first wash).

I hope my friends enjoy the placemats, and I hope the placemats remind them of their beautiful wedding.

29 thoughts on “California Sunset Fade {Placemats}

  1. magistra13 says:

    Gorgeous! What a cheerful table they make! I’m sure you have delighted your friends! And the Library of Congress? Who knew you could get married there? Well, obviously I didn’t. That is so cool, like the ultimate in cool! I’m totally jealous 🙂

  2. RuthB says:

    Very happy looking – great idea to pull colour inspiration from the wedding photos!

  3. The placemats are beautiful and so are the wedding photos. Congratulations to the happy couple!

  4. Patricia C says:

    Very pretty and bright, thanks

  5. Cindy says:

    I love the placemats. What a beautiful colour choice.

  6. Wow…such a simple pattern but yet so striking. Awesome!

  7. LOVE LOVE LOVE!!! Stunning colors together–the placemats are gorgeous.

  8. Tish says:

    Sometimes the simplest things are just the best. Beautiful bold colors. I’m sure they love the place mats. The Library of Congress for a wedding?? What a great idea!

  9. Judy says:

    Yvonne, they are just gorgeous!! I don’t know which side I like more! I might be tempted to place them so two show the ‘top’ and two show the ‘back’ 🙂 I am sure your friends are going to love them!!

  10. Great work! I love the fade on the back, too!

  11. Renee says:

    Oh man what a lovely location for a wedding! The things I wish I could do over for our wedding are the number of people invited (primarily the people I hadn’t met before the wedding and all the ones I haven’t seen since), and the location (wish it had been prettier). It sounds like they had a small and beautiful wedding! Your placemats really compliment the wedding pictures, plus they are just bright and cheerful.

  12. Laura says:

    I love it! Great color choice, simple and classic design. I agree that the binding choice was perfect, pulling it all together. Thanks for sharing! (I’m feeling inspired to dig my fabrics out… 🙂 )

  13. Lara B. says:

    What a fun and amazing couple your friends are Yvonne. These placemats reflect that perfectly!

  14. susanbkatz says:

    Beautiful! Gorgeous how the colors of the California sunset match so well the colors in the Library of Congress. (I used to spend a lot of time there when we lived in D.C., btw — an amazing place.)

  15. Rochelle says:

    These turned out gorgeous. I can’t imagine anyone not liking them.

  16. These are lovely! I’m sure your friends will adore them. And thank you reminding me how long it’s been since I made placemats.

  17. churcae says:

    Nice placemats!

  18. Christine Sherman says:

    These are so pretty. Such a splash of happy brightness! The binding choice ended up perfect 🙂

  19. I really enjoyed reading about the making of the placemats. They look so effective and I would love them for my table.

  20. Cheryl says:

    Very nice, I really like both the front and the back sides (and the fact that they are two-sided mats). The colors are excellent.

  21. Jasmine says:

    I have always loved the placemats you make, but I have to say that I think these are my very favorite. Don’t be surprised if I copy. But in a different color.

  22. Helen says:

    Way too nice to use . I love the way the colours blend and they tie in with their wedding photos which in turn tie in with congress . And making their own plane ! That’s a whole new turn in the Tom Waits song what’s he building in there . My neighbour used to hammer in his garage but he was making dolls house furniture !

  23. Vera says:

    These are really lovely! Beautiful combo, simple but stunning.

  24. I liked the red binding and the orange. Now I see the back, I agree the orange was definitely the better choice.
    You can get married in the library? I love that idea!

  25. They’re beautiful and the binding you selected is perfect. I’m sure they’ll love them.

  26. I really love these placements and the fade effects is really good! I struggle with that… ugh. I love that you ended up making them versatile for the different looks on either side.

  27. sally says:

    Beautiful, especially with the story behind it. And I love the backs as much as the fronts I think.

  28. I am so inspired by those placemats – what a great gift!! What batting did you use?

I really appreciate the time and thought you take to comment, and I look forward to conversing with you. :)