Thursday, May 27, 2010

Coasting

I've been in a neighborhood Bunco group for a few years now.  If you haven't played before, it is really fun because it is a no skill dice game during which you can eat, drink, tell stories and laugh.  Plus, prizes--yay!  In our 12-member group, we have a $5 per month buy-in for cash prizes, and we sign up for potluck dish categories.  Sometimes there is a theme.  This month is my turn to host, which means I provide the drinks and table settings, and otherwise sit back and wait for the food and fun to arrive.  As a mostly non-drinker, I am grateful for ready-made Margarita mix.  I picked a BBQ theme and decided to make some coasters a la Karen of Sew Many Ways (click on the link for a tutorial) as a sort of party favor. 

First I cut 5 inch squares, then pinned through the center of a CD as a template and used my rotary cutter to cut around the CD through a stack of 5 "charms" for each coaster.  Very quick and easy.  I cut, pressed and sewed all of these Tuesday night in a couple of hours while receiving a personal concert (Grant's band practice).


I used some recently purchased fabrics and also a couple of fat quarters I'd received as giveaways and gifts.  The bandana fabric started it all (Thanks, Mary!).  I'll definitely use this method again. It was fun to mix up the circles and make them in different combos. I hope the ladies like them. 

This picture below is what a seam ripper is supposed to look like...

..and this is what my seam ripper looked like when I pulled it out of my sewing desk's drawer the other day:

WTH?  No idea how that happened.  It was getting used a lot last weekend when matching all those points in Erica's quilt, and I was putting things away rather rapidly on Tuesday morning before the housecleaners came (yes, once a month my house is actually all clean at the same time), but I don't remember hearing any metallic parts breaking off!  Luckily Erica had a spare in her sewing box, as the other seam ripper I own is almost 9 years old and way past dull.  I liked that ergonomic one especially so will have to replace it.  Looking forward to the 3 day weekend for Memorial Day and getting some lengthy sewing time in.  How about you?

14 comments:

Browndirtcottage said...

What a wiz you are....sewing up all those coasters....neat idea for party favors.....I had a friend who was in a Bunco group and loved...there is not one here where I live!!
Have a great l-o-n-g weekend friend!!

Anonymous said...

Fun reminder....I belonged to a Bunco group many moons ago. Just look at you whipping up those coasters!
It is a long weekend but turns out we can't leave area as hubby sort of on-call and son on a DC trip. I'll be quilting.

Sherrill said...

I LOVE bunco and have been playing with the same group for over 20 YEARS!! Some have come and gone but lots of the same still there. Our buy-in is $5 also but the hostess supplies food, drink and 'booby' prize (which is always WAY nice) for the loser. LOVE IT!

Joyful Quilter said...

I love cloth coasters! I'm bad about making just one out of left over fabrics. Square, round, and heart shaped, all from pieces and parts. Very few match.

Stephanie D said...

I've never heard of Bunco before--must be fun if everyone is playing it!

Cute coasters! I'm working on placemats for my daughter, who decided to come down for the weekend (doing the happy dance!). This will be just the kick I need to finish them up.

Oh, and the Garden Jubilee is this weekend, too--color me among the plants!

Shay said...

I read the instructions for Bunco because I;d never herd of it either. I think I'm being thick today because I didnt get it! I need to do a re-read when I'm feeling less tired.

Anyway...those coasters are pure genius. Another project for the kitchen renovation perhaps..

Anonymous said...

Now I know the real reason I have kept those old AOL CDs. They're templates!

Nanette Merrill said...

Cute and useful. Lovely. This reminds me. I need a new seam ripper. Mine is really really dull. That tells you how much I have to use it!

Mrs. Goodneedle said...

Those coasters are fantastic! I love to play Bunco, I subbed in my daughter's group one time and had a blast, I know your friends loved these favors, I might just have to whip up a set!! Your seam ripper (personal un-sewing tool) was telling you she needed to be replaced.

julieQ said...

Hmm, hungry gremlins ate part of your seam ripper! I love your coasters...great idea.

Tanya said...

Good reason to go to the fabric store to buy a new seam ripper. Your' coasters are really cute!

Susan @ Blackberry Creek said...

I love the coasters.

Carol E. said...

Love the coasters! Great idea! I never heard of Bunco but I think it sounds like a fun group. It would force me to clean my house now and then, which would be a good thing.

*karendianne. said...

Check out these coasters!!! Wow. Those are fanastic. I have to remember these. They'd make great gifts during the holidays.

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