Criss-cross coasters

Lest you think all I've been doing is buying fabric, here's a little bit of productivity from last weekend. I used the Allsorts tutorial for criss-cross coasters that was passed on to me by a friend. Of course, the tutorial was bookmarked by me a few months ago, so when I went to actually make these, I didn't bother to look it over again. I used 5" charm squares instead of the 4.5" squares called for by the pattern, so I guess mine are a little bigger than they were meant to be. I also used batting instead of interfacing. I think it will make the coasters a little more absorbent, and it does make them a little softer. 

I ended up making six coasters, and they sure do come together fast. I definitely spent more time cutting and pressing than doing actual sewing. These three are for my coworker Lora, who has an average of three mugs or glasses on her desk at any given time. 

This one is for me. I used some 1930s repros from my Dear Jane stash (which I rationalized by stating that the fabrics didn't have enough contrast to be used or I had enough in the stash that I could spare a 5" square). This one is on my desk at work, under my Dear Jane mug. How appropriate. 

These last two are also for me, from some of the Garden Party fabrics I have hanging around. The one on the left is staying on my sewing desk at home for tea during weekend morning sewing sessions (or cocktails for the evening ones). The one on the right is also on my desk at work, in case I want to switch out the repro one and have some variety. 

I've had these coasters around the office since Monday, and I do notice a slight difference. It's really wonderful having some textiles around. I love the feel of these quilting-weight cottons. When work gets a little hairy, it's nice to just breathe, feel some fabric, drink some tea, and move on.