I promised I wouldn't start another project until I finished my quilt...(bet none of you have ever said that...lol!) BUT...I saw this wonderful blue fabric with a Jesus and the wise men and thought it would be great for making placemats for my oldest son and his family. I've not made any before...but it can't be that hard can it?

Ha! I started drawing, measuring, cutting and piecing...all was going great with the fussy cut center and the next couple of borders....but after I added the green and brown borders it started to look a little dull so I thought I'd add the same fuschia that was in the inner border to give it a little extra color. NOT loving this though!! The dimensions are 15.5 by 17.5...had planned on it being a little more rectangular...

Anyway, do I rip it all out to the center and 2 borders? ( I really like the center and the next 2 borders...past that...I'm open to any ideas. I sure would rather rip now than after making 4 of these!

Thanks for any ideas you might have...I really do appreciate and value the input of the members of this board...certainly has been a huge help for me as a newbie!

Very cute fabric. If you want it more rectangular add strips on the ends. This is the way one of the free patterns was for Christmas placemats last year or the year before. I am not finished, but I like them.

It's looking really good, but I think the brown border boxes it in...I'd go for one of the brighter colors from the wise men to bring it out. It's a wonderful design...I also have trials and tribulations when it comes to coordinating the fabrics. why not end it with a really thin binding in the pink or gold?

Your two gold strips on each side already look wider than (top and bottom)maybe 2nd brown and fuschia could be wider again; only on sides though Can you lay on a "placement" to see how big to adjust.

I really love it up to the outer brown borders... I love the green in the center, but maybe substitute it with the same color blue as in the center? It would brighten it up a bit.

Very cute! I think the last fushia border draws your eye away from the center. I love everything else.

I don't care for the green or brown.

I like the idea of making it more elonggated. The wisemen seem to get lost in a square. The green pulls your eyes away from the center, and that is what you want to focus on. I would do away with the green and the outside brown, finish with the pink which ties in with the center.
But you know what, it is really nice and you do what you feel is right for you!

The green and the yellow are the only fabric on there in single "doses", ie., each is used only once. The others are used in more than one place. If you want it lighter, lay more of the yellow over the green that is now in there to see if it makes a difference. If so, you don't have to take it apart, just applique sider strips of the yellow over the top of the green. I like the use of the fuscia and brown that both pick up the inner border.

I really like it but without the brown outer border.