ellenmg

HI All My Fabulous Fabric Friends,
I need to make an item for an after-holiday Secret Santa gift. The person receiving it is 30 yrs old, female, rather kitschy taste, does crafty things, sews but not quilting. Loves fish, so I pulled out my fish fabric. One is very asian, with a large design. I thought she might like that better as the other is more kiddie fabric.
I considered a rug mug, solid piece with the koi centered on it. To get the whole fish it will need to be about 10 inches wide. OR a potholder. I think the 2nd fabric would work better pieced I think.
So ladies and gents, HELP!!!!! Thanks everyone, you all always have such great ideas and inspiration.
Ellen
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polly13

The asian one is beautiful and not one a sewist might have in her stash, but I would hate to see it cut down into a mug rug. Could you do a hot pad for dishes on the table? The fun fish would be fine for mug rugs, pot holders, whatever. No matter which you choose, I'm sure it will be loved.

nycquilter

what about the 10-minute table runner? Once I had the fabric picked out (for me, the hardest part!), it was only about ten minutes to make. I made one for each of the support staff at work and they were hits.

Krisb

I think the table pad for hot dishes, like a fabric trivet, from the Asian is a great idea, would be a shame to cut that fabric too small. You're not too far from me in the summer--we are in Asheville. When we first moved, I had trouble with pronouncing Leicester, because we moved from a town that had a Lester Park and a Leicester St, and they were not pronounced identically.

Tartan

Beautiful fabrics! Do what appeals to you. If you are leaning towards the Asian large fish one but think it's too big for a mug rug, maybe a table topper, placemat or kitchen table runner would be nice. You could however use the fish on the length 10 X 6, that doesn't sound too big? Or you could do a mug rug in the fish and a couple of pot holders in the other fish print and have her choose. OR
Make her a pin cushion/thread catcher out of the smaller fish fabric, if she sews she would probably like one. There are some nice ones on posts on QB and they are simple to make.

dublb

You are right the smaller fish do look juvenile. The idea for the 10 min table runner ,with the koi, sounds lovely.
Here's the link,
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...er-t77376.html
What about a microwave bowl?
Here's the link,
http://www.quiltingboard.com/tutoria...s-t144848.html

Mad Mimm

I have seen quite a few "candle" mats in Scandinavian publications. They are like table runners, but smaller in size and square or often a thinner rectangle that sits in the middle of the table under a centerpiece. Would be about the right shape and size to capture one of the Asian Koi and then really zip it up with a small border. Anything that uses the larger scale Asian fabric - it is just lovely!

debbieumphress

I love the first picture with the Koi fish. Beautiful....Thanks for the links Dublb.....

QandE2010

All the fabric is beautiful, so go for it. Thanks for sharing. Post your finished project, please. Would love to see it.

ellenmg

Thanks folks for your input. I cut down the koi to as small as comfortable without chopping up the fish. It is too big for a mug rug unless you are the Jolly Green Giant. SO I will do a hot pad. Also, in the tut on the bowl warmer, it suggested quilting only one side, fabric and batting. I was concerned that it would either be too bulky with insulbrite and too hard to quilt through. Great idea! And I think potholders of the flower portion of the fabric.
I will post pics when I am done.