Lotta Love Blocks Coasters

Last week, I shared the free Lotta Love Blocks pattern on the Havel’s Sewing blog. The pattern includes instructions for a pillow as well as coasters/trivets, and I wasted no time turning my sample blocks into the sweetest of coasters.

The pattern walks you through two options for finishing the coasters: the topstitch method (the basic method of placing right sides together, sewing around the perimeter, turning right side out, then topstitching around the edge) and the bound method. I love the look of bound coasters, and hand binding coasters is a great way to take on a quick, portable hand-sewing project. The binding is also an opportunity to introduce another color, highlighting the design on the front and the fabric on the back, as well as offering a chance for some fun big-stitch binding to add interest to the otherwise simple back of the coaster. Why not make it so both sides are usable and cute!?

This time, I used Essex yarn-dyed metallic linen blend in Cloud for the binding, which adds such a fun, subtle sparkle. I also love the look of the pale blue against the bright pinks. Essex and other wovens are a nice alternative to quilting cottons that can add an additional texture and visual interest. I finished the coasters off with two strands of 12 wt. pink threads using my favorite big-stitch method.

And you don’t have to let your imagination or creativity stop at coasters and pillows. These blocks would be so fun in a Valentine’s sampler quilt, turned into a banner or table runner, or anything else you can think up. Find the free pattern here.

Check out this post for a list of my favorite supplies for hand binding / big-stitch binding.