Cookie Tray Mats

Thanks to Carla for all her hard work for this In the Kitchen blog hop!

Cookie jars are not my thing.  Out of sight, out of everyone’s mind and the cookies go stale and look unappetizing in other ways too.  I have this glass domed tray for treats.  The tray is not food safe so the treats always sit on a plate. My salad plates fit perfectly.

I’ve searched for fun plates to use in it, but they are either too small or too large or I just don’t like them.  But the tray is always on the bistro table in my kitchen and it looks blah when there are no treats inside.

It finally dawned on me that I could sew round mats to set inside.  I thought this was an excellent time to try a paper pieced New York Beauty block.  I shrunk the block pattern to a size I hoped would fit.  At the time, St. Patrick’s Day was approaching so I chose some green fabrics to use.

I’m still trying to use up this near white glow-in-the-dark piece I’ve had.

I stitched up the first quarter block.  The whole circle needs to be about 9”.  That makes those center circles pretty small.  After sewing these first small quarter circles, I knew I did NOT want to sew those 3 more times!  So I took the circles off.

And cheated by cutting full circles with my circle rulers.

Loads less stressing!

I kept the papers on to keep the edges from stretching out of shape.

I did the same with the center circle.  

I pinned the binding on from the paper side and stitched it from the paper side also.  That way I would know exactly where the points were and not chop them off with the binding.  It worked out nicely.

I never do a bias binding.  Even on circles.  I always do a straight grain binding.

After stitching the binding on, I pulled the papers off and did the quilting.

Then trimmed around the mat and hand stitched the binding to the back.

It all worked out really well.  AND, it fit in the tray perfectly!  Color me happy!



I had such fun with this one, I wanted to do it again.

This time for the patriotic holidays.

The only thing I changed was that I stitched the centers as raw edge appliqué rather then turning the edges under.  I really like the look of raw edge applique’.

Then Easter was coming too...

These circles were all cut with my circle rulers.

Then when there isn’t a holiday, I wanted an everyday mat to see.

Striped bindings is specifically why I don’t do bias bindings.  I don’t care for the stripes being at an angel on a round mat.

There might be Fall and Christmas mats to come.

It all depends on what shiny project draws my attention most at the time.  

My tray doesn’t seem so empty and lacking even without something edible inside.



You know I had to try the NYB as a postcard!

And, yes, I will mail it to one of my followers.  Just add mention in your comment that you’d like to find it in your mailbox.  I will contact the winner for mailing info.

Check out the other blog hop participant’s projects on this final day of the hop.

Thursday, April 22nd

Creatin' in the Sticks

Vicki's Crafts and Quilting

Quilting Gail

Sew Many Yarns

thatfabricfeeling

Annie's musings

Quilt Schmilt

Becky’s adventures in quilting and travel 

Homespun Hannah's Blog

Food For Thought