Offshoot

It was actually last October that my mom and I started talking about a quilted runner for her dining room table. We scrolled through Pinterest until we settled on an inspiration design. From there we set on choosing fabric, and fun fact: Mom was as enamored with Carolyn Friedlander prints as I am. Mixed with a Maker Maker cotton/linen blend and Kona Garnet, we came up with a unique but delightful mix that was really enjoyable to work with.



I started with making small striped segments....



.... and then designed as I went by piecing randomly and filling in spots on the design wall. I had a size goal - 32" x 92" - and the pieced top ended up just slightly larger to allow for shrinkage due to quilting and washing.



When it came time for quilting I started with variegated Aurifil 50wt #4060 (Silver Moon), fully intending to use a variety of colored threads. But considering my goal was to use several different quilting designs, per mom's request, after I got going I decided using the singular thread would be best. And it really did coordinate well with all the fabrics, nestling in nearly invisibly in some areas and standing out more in others.

First up was my one of my standbys - organic straight-line - off-center across the width of the runner. Next were a pair of harmonizing yet different sections of matchstick quilting.



From there, I went section to section, figuring out designs as I went.... some simple channel quilting, and echos, then a diagonal grid and orange peels (love them!).





That's when I turned to Jacquie Gering's Walk to find some new designs to try, and I found that a Radiating Diamond, some Crosshatch Mashup, and even some Sectioned Curves all suited the piece well.







So nine designs in all, and I gotta say, I love the look.



I trimmed it up, bound it all in one of my favorites of Carolyn Friedlander's Euclid linen-cotton blends, and it was done.... the largest table runner I'd ever made.



The size was of the essence though, covering a good width of the table, while hanging over on the ends to give the look mom was after. Let's just say we're pretty well pleased with our joint effort. The runner looks totally at home on mom's table, which was the goal after all!



This project is on my 2018 Q1 Finish-A-Long list!
Linking up with 2018 Finish-A-Long Q1 Finishes!

On Blitzen

As Christmas gifts this past year, I made two table runners using the patchwork table runner tutorial by s.o.t.a.k handmade. Actually, the second one was a variation, using 2 1/2" squares from a mini charm pack, where Svetlana's tutorial called for 2" squares. And the setting was slightly different

While making both of these runners, I was definitely wishing I had time to make one for myself too, but well, time just didn't allow. SO when a mini charm pack of basicgrey's blitzen was discovered in my stocking on Christmas morning, I knew just what I wanted to do with it!

So again I used the larger squares, adjusting the other measurements as needed. All these tweaks make a difference of course. Where the original runner was 41" long, the second was 46", and this newest one, 50".

But I'm fine with that. As a background, I again used Kaufman's Essex (of course!); backing was from stash fabrics, Sandy Gervais' Reindeer Games pieced with basicgrey's pb&j "Jelly".

For quilting, I got out every white and beige I had - #2000 (beige), #2021 (natural white), #2024 (white), #2310 (light beige), #2314 (medium beige), #2326 (tan) - and I have plenty thanks to the Aurifil Basics Collection I won last year on Giveaway Day. {Boy, have I enjoyed that box!}

And from there I straight-line quilted across the width at irregular intervals, changing out the threads whenever I felt like it. Towards each end, I matchstick-quilted a 2" section just for some added detail.

Bound in more Essex (which worked very nice by the way), I was compelled to wash and dry the runner immediately to see how that linen/cotton mix crinkled up. And I wasn't disappointed.

This project is on my 2014 FAL Q1 list. All credit for the finished project photos goes to hubby. Thanks Joe.

Christmas Postscript {one}

When I saw Svetlana's Christmas patchwork table runner, I wanted to make one for myself!

photo permission by s.o.t.a.k handmade

But being handmade gifts was high on my priority list at the time, I instead sewed one up for a friend.

I had a charm pack of cloud9 Cut Out & Keep that I had been hanging onto for reasons unknown, and I'm so glad I brought it out for this project. It went so nice with the flax-colored Essex I used, and of course, I always love how that Essex quilts up! I followed Svetlana's lead, doing straight-line quilting and used one of my newer favorite Aurifil 50wt threads - #2326. It's called 'tan' but seriously has a bit of a gold tone, and has gone so nicely with several of my recent makes.

Since there was no matching yardage in my stash for the binding, I went with the charcoal stripe from the awesome new Botanics collection. And I think it finished it off just fine. With the Essex and organic prints, the texture of this runner is just lovely.

Finished size: 15 3/4" x 41"

Svetlana's tutorial was a joy to follow, and being so pleased with my first finish, I went on to make another.

For the second one, I used a light and creamy Essex, along with a mini charm pack of V and co.'s Simply Color. Where the original runner used 2" squares for the patchwork, I went ahead and used the 2 1/2" mini charms as cut, and adjusted the sizes of the other fabric pieces as needed. This resulted in a slightly larger runner, about 20"x46". (The sashing between blocks was cut at 2 1/2" wide, the side borders 3 1/2", and the ends 4 1/2".) Again I straight-line quilted, this time using my stand-by Aurifil 50wt #2000 (beige) and there it is again - the most texture indeed. Backed and bound with Notting Hill, it's similar yet different from the original, and just goes to show where inspiration can take you.

And guess what? Santa left a mini charm pack of Moda's Blitzen in my stocking, so guess who's ordering up some more linen and may just make a Christmas patchwork table runner for herself after all?