Coasters for a Hostess Gift

I thoroughly enjoyed the Palmetto Tat Days!!  Cynthia S. and I traveled together to Georgia from Oklahoma and then back again, talking and laughing all the way!  Now--to finish all the class projects!!

Years ago, I made a coaster out of a micro-fiber cleaning cloth from Dollar Tree.  It was a project from one of the Finger Lakes Tatting Conferences (see post from April 24, 2011).  You should see it now!  The cloth has excelled at soaking up various liquids off of the glasses that have sat on it (as well as the occasional spill)!  Although it gets washed on a fairly regular basis....it will, I'm afraid, never be white again--but is a discouraging shade of beige.  The lovely edging, which was once the beautiful vibrant colors of a HDT--is now faded to a splotchy pastel.  However, it's bedraggled look--it is my favorite coaster, and has a permanent place on my craft table.

all small

all large

I decided to make a set of coasters for my aunt, once again using the Dollar Tree micro-fiber cleaning cloths.  Aunt Dorothy has always encouraged me in my tatting, and is one of my most grateful recipients when I give tatting as a gift.  She helped Cynthia S. and me cut down on our travel expenses to the Palmetto Tat Days this year, by allowing us to stay with her at her retirement facility in Arkansas for a night (both coming and going.)  These were a "thank you gift" in appreciation of her hospitality.

all variegated

all solid

I thought I would "cut corners" by using the coaster pattern from the Handy Hands catalog.  If you notice, this year's coaster pattern is NOT the same pattern that has been published the last few years.  I started out, following the pattern for this year's "Simple Medallion Coaster" by Kendera Goodnow and also for the "Sand Dollar Coaster" by Sandy (from a previous year's Handy Hands catalog).  I could not get either of these patterns to lay flat, so I started over and left out one repeat on each pattern  This allowed both motifs to lay flat.  My aunt's favorite color is green--so these are done in DMC 5, colors #319 (solid) and #4045(variegated).

one of each

I'm not sure how "clever" an idea this is...
I wanted four coasters.  I did two of each coaster design in each of the two DMC colors.  Then I sewed a large coaster motif from (color A) onto the side #1 and a small motif from (Color B) onto side #2.  This way, by flipping the coasters--you can have: 1) a set of solid motifs [2 large, 2 small], 2) a set of variegated motifs [2 large, 2 small] 3) a set of large motifs [2 solid, 2 variegated] or a set of small motifs {2 solid, 2 variegated]  or....5)  mix and match and have one of each type.