Live Thankfully

This is the original pattern cover for the Christmas table mat I just made. The original quilt measures 39″ x 39″. My table mat measures approx. 18″ x 18″.

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Here are features I want you to notice.

Tablemat is made with assorted reds and lights.

Quilt background is all ivory with high contrast with the solid dark reds.

Note the corners of the quilt. The corner connector squares in the sashing are eliminated making it appear to have a somewhat rounded corner.

The table mat has the red connector squares continued in each corner.

The pattern Live Thankfully will be available for $3.00 until December 1. That price includes postage but we would so appreciate a mailing label with your order. Just think about how much time that label saves us. Thank you in advance.

I love this little table mat/wallhanging and when time allows I’d love to make it in bright fabrics or even reproduction fabrics. The minute I laid it on the table, Heidi appeared. If you have cats then you know this is a common practice – laying down on whatever you’re working on.

I quilted it with straight lines as usual and bound it on machine. Sometime I’ll take a picture of my right hand – it’s crooked, swollen with arthritis and not a pretty picture. No more hand binding for me.

Here’s another “secret” – Connie makes all her triangle squares with Thangles and they are perfect – I don’t mean almost perfect like mine that sometimes don’t have points. Hers are flat and measure exactly what they are intended to be. I’m ok with some points missing but it’s not professional. Connie’s piecing is perfect.

I will draw out the table mat and include that sheet with the pattern so you can opt to make that size if you choose.

Have a great Thursday, Everybody! I’m heading to Java 18 for coffee and then to Junkin Gal and the library. I leave you with one more picture of Live Thankfully.

24 thoughts on “Live Thankfully

  1. Kelley

    That is a really pretty pattern. It sounds like you have a fun morning planned. With the temps here in Indiana in the 80’s, I haven’t even gotten my fall decorating done! I sure do love your pumpkins and gourds. I hope to plant some next year! You have inspired me!

  2. Carolyn Boutilier

    Mary, I too, have arthritis in my hands. I go to a RA doctor and she gave me a shot in my wrist and it really helped me with the pain. The shot did not hurt. I understand what you are saying about your hands. Love this new Christmas mat. Carolyn B

  3. Mary in Indiana

    I like your attitude – who’s going to notice a missing point or two from a galloping horse.

  4. Suzanne Cook

    Mary…. you are retired. You don’t have to work so hard. I get tired reading about your projects. But I truly look forward to your posts.
    Suzanne Cook

  5. Pat Smith

    Love the red and white quilt and will order the pattern right away. Some years ago I made a red work quilt with 6 hand embroidered panels of log cabins in the pines. I donated it to our church’s Christmas bazaar. We put the ridiculous price on it of $30, and no one bought it! They kept telling me that people come there expecting to pay very little for things. So, I contributed the $30 and took it home where it hangs every Christmas. Now I’m glad no one bought it because we all love it. I’ve never done the straight line quilting or machine binding, but plan to give both a try with the maple leaf quilt. Loved seeing Heidi on the quilt. We have 3 cats and they get on any new thing they can find.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Pat Smith – wow, a whopping $30 for all that handwork! I’m glad you bought it back.

  6. Gail Maslan

    I agree, hand stitching hard on your hands. I’ve been doing this for 70 years!! I started with embroidery at 8 years old, then crocheted, did stamped cross stitch, needlepoint, counted cross stitch, crewel. knitting, even macrame. About the only thing I never did was tatting. Then sewed just about all my clothes plus roller skating costumes for competitions when I was a teen ager. I started a Grandmother’s Flower garden when I was 12, because my mom was making one – I pieced it by hand.,
    I didn’t finish the top until 25 years later and quilted it by hand. After that I made a king size sampler,, in 1980, pieced and quilted by hand, took me 2 /12 years! Then two queen size by hand, and after that — only pieced by machine and quilted by machine. Now I only quilt the smaller ones by machine and send out the bigger ones.. I haven’t stitched down bindings by hand for many, many years, only by machine. Nothing wrong with that and I have been told my bindings are very nicely done. Now I still embroider, and I am into wool appliqué. So easy using Perle Coton #8, and no turning under the appliqués. I never mastered needle turn appliqué, so this is very enjoyable.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Gail Maslan – sounds like my needlework background but I’ve only hand quilted two large quilts in my whole life! I still have my crocheted button necklace you made me and still love it!

  7. Rita Mulvey

    Thanks again Mary for making another pattern available to us. I love small table mats, runners and small wall hangings.

  8. Sarah Carroz

    Beautiful photos as usual. A few days/weeks ago you took one of the feed room before cleaning it. On my phone, at first glance, I thought you had included a photo of an old master’s painting. What a surprise when I learned it was a photo of the feed room. The colors, the hanging tumble of cobwebs and, as I remember, a bit of yellow and red paint -it was jar-dropping beautiful. Bet you didn’t see much beauty in that room when you were cleaning it! Interestingly, on my laptop it looked nice but I saw it as a photo from the get-go.

    Regarding hand binding a quilt. I, too, found it painful and thought I would have to to give in and bind by machine. Certainly not my preference generally. Then I decided to use those colorful binding clips that are available. I found it so much easier to bind because I didn’t have to hold the quilt so tightly. The clips did the job for me. Probably at some point I will have to bind only by machine but for now I can still do it…and enjoy it.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Sarah Carroz – I need to go back and look at that photo with a different mindset!

  9. Linda Baker

    Mary,
    That planter of the lady bending over the basket is wonderful! Like the table topper and Heidi, too!

  10. Diane in Ohio and temporarily in NC

    Thanks for the pic of Heidi and the quilt patterns. I will order when I get home. Hope you had a fun day after all those vines!!

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Diane in Ohio – please refresh my memory – did you buy the purse quilt last year? Are you the one who collects purses?

  11. Diana in WISCONSIN

    Beautiful! I love the cat pictures too! I have a Maine Coon female cat who prefers outdoors to inside, but when she’s in she always sits on whatever I’m working on… or scoots me out of the chair I’m sitting in. If I’m at the sewing machine and get up, she sits on my chair. I’ll be sending for the pattern. Just love it! Diana

  12. Carol

    I might have sent request and sass envelope for this pattern without the $3.00 check. If I did this, I apologize, just email me, and will send you the payment.

    1. CountryThreads Post author

      Carol – no problem, I’ll just send the pattern and you can mail the check. I’ll watch for it.

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