Christmas Draw

My siblings and I started a new tradition last year, of drawing names for gift giving rather then trying to shop for everyone. It makes it a lot easier as we are all pretty busy people like everyone else I know.
This year (don't worry - they do not read my blog, we may be blood related but that does not mean we like the same things) I drew my brothers name, and Mr. Hunter drew his wife's name. Awesome! I actually had my brother last year two and I spent way more on him them I was supposed to, but he is my brother! And we do both like the same shoes! I got him the coolest pair of Converse high tops on the planet. Seriously, they were lime green and black half checkers. Sweet!!
This year, they both requested a 20 something item ordered online -easy peasie and now I am making them for their new to them house - placemats, coasters and a table runner. If I had time, I would make them matching oven mitts and maybe some knitted washcloths. But alas - I do not have that kind of time. I can still strive for it and just package up whatever I do get accomplished. 
So, after a couple of days wasted trying to come up with and choose "The" design, I finally went with this:

For the Placemats

The table runner - I want the stars to overlap onto the triangles - but I am a lazy sketcher.

  So this was the plan, but then in reality - as why would I use a pattern or draw this out on paper?? Well, I could not find my paper roll - too lazy to look that hard. Its so darn cold, once I am under the blanket, I do not like to move. So, I used my new Dresden ruler to make my triangle shapes, 13" long. I think they look nice:

Then I placed my pinwheel pieces on top to see what it looks like:

I hate it! The patterns get lost in each other and well, that's about it - I need to choose different fabric or forget the pinwheels on the mats altogether. The latter is what I thought last night, and thought - why not use them on coasters? Like this:

Again, my patterns get lost on here. I think the red and purple pattern is OK, but the other has got to go - that or I need a different background fabric. I just flipped the patter here so you could get an idea - but now I am second guessing the whole thing. 
What do you think? Should I keep the pinwheels on the placemat, but choose more contrasting fabrics? Or leave them as is, and do the fancy pinwheel coasters? Or both. Ah, I don't know... feel free to leave me a comment and tell me what to do. ha ha
Another thing I am thinking is to use a 60 degree pinwheel square, rather then the above 45 degree. This makes a pinwheel with 6 points, rather then the 8, so it would be less busy.
I hope all your projects are going well.


As for the quilters carry all bag. I will do a tutorial for you - but please bare with me until after Christmas so I can get some gifts done.
Cheers my friends,
Carolyn