Sewing some more

Working on a new table runner for my dining room table. It's in blues and purples and aquas. I wanted something summer-ish. 

Here is the start of it. 

Just keep adding to it. 

Attach next strip, right sides together. This way you are quilting the runner as you go. Way cool!!

Backing. 

Then batting. I am using a natural Cotten batting for this project. 

Lay down backing, wrong side up. I'm using a 40"x 15" piece for this runner. 

Then lay batting on top. 

Start sewing strips in middle. Lay first 2 right side together and see 1/4" seam on right side. Open up and press. Then just keep adding your strips, alternating sides. 

Sewing on the next strip. I use strips 2"-3" inches wide. A lot of my strips are 2.5" wide as I really like that width. You can do whatever you want. Such a great way to use up scraps!! My strips are cut at least 16" long. Enough to hang over the sides of the project. I'll trim them up later before I bind it. 

Open it up and press. 

If you look closely you can see the quilting lines. It's hard to see as I used matching thread. 

When all the strips are sewn on, trim off excess fabric. 

Now that it is all trimmed up, it's time to do more quilting. I usually do this one of two ways. 

1. Quilt in the ditch and in center of each strip. 

2. Quilt in ditch and presser foot width within each strip. 

Today I'm using the first way. I'm going to use basic white on the top and matching thread on the bottom. 

Birthday Table Runner

My Sister-in-law had a birthday this past week. This is the table runner that I made her for her birthday. Her favorite color is green (mine too!!) so I made it in shades of green and cream.

Front and back pictures.

Table Runners

Finally done with the 2 Christmas runners. I actually finished them the other day, but you know how life tends to get in the way.

Here they both are. We can't decide if we like the one with the red binding or green binding better.

More Fabric

For my birthday I got a gift card for Joann's. So I went out and bought some fabric to go with the fabric I used in my kitchen/diningroom. I have been planning on making a quilt for the quilt rack hanging in my dining room for 3 years now.

I didn't take my fabric with me to match it, so went from memory. Here's the fabric I bought mixed with the stuff I had.

 

I think I can make them work together. I tried to vary size of pattern and color to get some contrast but yet allow resting spots for the old eyes. We'll see how it goes. I still have to finish my Christmas runners and stockings. But in the mean time, I'm planning this quilt in my head.

Winter Wonderland

I have been really lax about updating my blog. My Bad!! I think it was last December since my last post. Life has gotten in the way and I haven't really been doing any crafting lately. But in the last month I've gotten quite a bit accomplished.

My latest projects have been table runners. I got the idea off of pinterest from this blog. http://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2010/08/table-runner-tutorial.html
She has really easy to use tutorials for making many fun projects.

So here is a table runner that I made using fabrics in blues, whites and aquas.

Here it is after it was quilted and before I added the binding. There are 3 aqua fabrics but they are hard to see here.

With a dark blue binding. The same blog I got this project off of also has a wonderful tutorial for doing bindings. AWESOME!!!

This is the reverse side. I love that they are reversible for different moods/looks. I made another one left out one of the aquas that I didn't like on this one. I also made a small 17 X 17 one for my mother-in-law. She has a 42" round table and I wanted something just to go in the center.

I'll post picture of those once I get the bindings finished. (as soon as I post I am going to go sew those!)

I am also working on a runner in Christmas fabrics. Here is a picture of it in progress.....

I love that it quilts it as you go!! So easy and looks so pretty!

Close up picture of some of the fabrics we used. Some of these I bought specifically for this project, others I had been given by my Mother-in-law that were left over from a project she worked on a long time ago.

I need to add that the red/white polka dot material was a request from my daughter, Jordan. She said it reminded her of Minnie Mouse and we had to use it. Her band is going to Orlando in March to march at Disney and Universal so it kind of reminds us of that!

I'll keep updating these as they are finished. I am doing 2 of these. One with a green binding and one with a red binding. The reverse side is the poinsettia fabric. It matches my Christmas China.

****Update 11/13****

So I finished the other two blue table runners on Sunday Night. I had a couple OOPS moments that got me a little discouraged but I took a break and then went back and fixed my mistakes. I finally got them done around midnight. WAY past my bedtime!

The second runner in blues/white/aquas. Since I cut all the strips of fabric, back, batting and binding at the same time, it didn't take long for this one to come together.

You can see a little bit of difference between the two. The first is on left. For the second one I took out the aqua fabric with the flowers. It wasn't too awful, but I just didn't care for it. The second runner will either be gifted or donated.

I made this smaller square one for my Mother-in-laws table. It measures finished at 17" X17". I wanted to make it 20"x20" but I used left over strips from the other two and they weren't long enough to do that with. I also took out all the aqua strips and the snow flake strip. This way she can use it all year long. The snow flake fabric is still on the back, truly making it reversible.

Here all 3 of them are together. I might make a couple pot holders to go with them. If I have enough time. And can keep from digging into my other projects.

As you can see, I have the Christmas runner put together and quilted. I'm just working on putting on the binding. Then I'll put together the one with the red binding. I'm very pleased with  the way this one is turning out too! I'll update again as I get this one finished.

I also saw a tutorial for doing a Christmas stocking by this same lady and using this same quilt as you go technique. I'm sure I have enough extra fabric to make some!! http://artgalleryfabrics.typepad.com/weblog/2012/11/fat-quarter-gang-scrappy-christmas-stockings-by-diary-of-a-quilter.html