Turning Talk Into Action!
By Morley Hunt
@Morleyhunt (21744)
Canada
January 9, 2017 5:31am CST
Since January 2014 I have told my family that I was planning to make special placemats to use around Valentines Day.
That year I still had the store to keep me very busy, so I postponed the making for a year, when I would be retired.
The following winter, although retired, we sold our house with a closing date of February 28 and the same week sold the building that housed two apartments as well as my former store. This meant that I spent a lot of time packing, condensing and moving boxes and all my worldly goods. No placemats were made.
Last year, I thought I would make them for sure, but again, life intervened. My father had moved in with me and my husband and were busily trying to clear enough stuff from my parents home to list it for sale.
Then I started to second guess what it was I wanted to make. Different patterns were floating in my mind. Nothing seemed to inspire me to get started. Then, my daughter wanted to make some placemats for her home. As soon as we laid out her fabric, I knew what I wanted to do.
Here is a photograph of my new Valentine's placemats. Sewn and quilted! Ready for use in another week or two.
26 people like this
26 responses
@GardenGerty (160996)
• United States
9 Jan 17
When a project comes together in our mind then there is no stopping us. Until it does, everything gets in the way.
2 people like this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
I had a vision of what I wanted, but appliqueing the three hearts just wasn't motivating me.....the hearts were supposed to be on the right side of the placemat. Then my daughter laid out her focus fabric in the Center and Eureka! My vision shifted, the hearts are now a little larger and this is the result. I'm very pleased with how eye catching they are.
2 people like this
@s4soubhik (26)
• Indore, India
10 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt for success don't depend on anybody...always ne self motivated and selfish....and the work will definitely pay u off
@allen0187 (58582)
• Philippines
10 Jan 17
It took awhile but it will finally be made!
Good for you and congratulations on creating wonderful placemats!
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
10 Jan 17
Thank you. I enjoy projects of this kind.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
11 Jan 17
@allen0187 practice, practice, practice.....my home economics (sewing) teacher in highschool would have predicted that I was the least likely person to sew another stitch.
1 person likes this
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
10 Jan 17
Oh so they are special placements for the Valentine's . They are beautiful . They would surely brighten and beautify the dining table . 
@SIMPLYD (90721)
• Philippines
11 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt Why not start on Valentine's day so it would not be dirty when that special day comes ?
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
14 Jan 17
@SIMPLYD they are washable. I am waiting until the grandkids, who are spending the weekend , go home.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
10 Jan 17
I'm waiting another week before we start to use them.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472109)
• Switzerland
9 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt This is a great idea. I always keep a potholder in the center of the table, it's annoying to arrive at the table and not knowing where to put the pot. Something double-face would be nice.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
@LadyDuck I'll post pictures when I've made one. 
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
Thank you. Now I need to design a table topper for the Center of the table. If I make it thick it can double as a potholder.
2 people like this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
10 Jan 17
wow my dear, you have a beautiful placemat/s, so nice we have talents and skills in sewing.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
11 Jan 17
@ridingbet I have an old treadle sewing machine that needs to have the base refinished. Something happened to the bed of the machine and it's as rough as sandpaper.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
10 Jan 17
Thank you. They were fun to design and make.
1 person likes this
@ridingbet (66854)
• Philippines
10 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt i just mended the trousers of my son, and i just loved spinning the sewing machine again. it is a manual sewing machine, not the electric one
@s4soubhik (26)
• Indore, India
10 Jan 17
there is a principle know as THACT principle.This means the conversion of thought to act .this is a very important to be successful.Your work is quater doen if u thought of good idea ,its half doen if you started working on that ,but for being successful you hav to fo 100% .and it will only happen when u will end the work.
@snowy22315 (182343)
• United States
10 Jan 17
Fab! i am glad you got to them. I am too lazy to make the bathmats out of cork that I wanted to..well..I do keep busy with other things, but I could make them if I really wanted to do it!
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
10 Jan 17
I think we can all find time to do the things we really want to do.
1 person likes this
I bet she'll love them. I'd sure love to have a set like that for our table. @Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
These are for my dining table. My daughter is making her's with a beach theme and flip flop fabric.
1 person likes this
@yukimori (10148)
• United States
9 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt Ah, I see! I blame the early hour for my lack of comprehension skills. 
All the quilting posts I see here make me want to take on a few projects of my own!
All the quilting posts I see here make me want to take on a few projects of my own!@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
@yukimori go for it. It is much easier to find instruction now than it was when I began.
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
10 Jan 17
They are great....good for you for getting them done!
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
10 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt We don't count time - we count completion!
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
10 Jan 17
It's taken me a long time to go from concept to completion this time.
@just4him (317277)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Jan 17
It's amazing how life siderails our plans and intentions. They are very lovely and I'm glad you finally got them finished.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
Who knew that it would take me almost four year to get around to it. At least this year I am getting things done.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317277)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
9 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt Yes you are and looking good too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342277)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
And they look absolutely beautiful. Worth all that waiting time I would think.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
Thank you. I'm very pleased with how they look. They came together very quickly once I decided how I wanted to proceed.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (342277)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt Sometimes it's those first decisions that take the time.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
I need to put my creative side, aside for a few days and get some practical work finished.
1 person likes this
@Plethos (13581)
• United States
9 Jan 17
@Morleyhunt - yeah, thats true. i hate it when practical conflicts with my creativity.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
10 Jan 17
Thank you. I enjoy sewing and quilting. This was a fun, quick project.
@Marilynda1225 (83103)
• United States
9 Jan 17
Your placemats are so pretty and I'm sure they will look lovely on your table for Valentines Day. Life certainly has a way of derailing us doesn't it but glad you were able to get them done this year
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
It just shows that eventually I will get around to it.. They were fun to make.
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
Thank you. It was fun making them. Now to make a table topper...thick enough to replace a potholder, to match.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
Thank you. Now I'm on to the next project.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
They aren't that difficult to make. I cut these out on Friday evening and had them finished Sunday morning. I accomplished my usual tasks (laundry, meal preparation, dishes) and even spent some time just reading a book.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21744)
• Canada
9 Jan 17
Thank you. I like them, but I think they are a bit pink for my husbands taste. He's a good sport. He will tolerate them for a couple of weeks to humour me.
1 person likes this
