Celebrate a little Color

I finished my patchwork table runner.  I told Chris I should call it a table blanket, because it's pretty big.  In fact, I thought about just adding a couple of borders and making it a lap quilt, but I wanted a table runner, so a table runner it is.

  I found a bundle of Farmdale by Alexander Henry Fabrics online.  All of the fabrics were different lengths, but it was plenty for what I was looking for. (Still have leftovers!!!)   I love this line--I love the apples, the cross-hatching, and all of the different colors.  I threw in some coordinating colors of both prints and a solid I already had and started cutting.  I just wanted a simple patchwork design so the fabric designs spoke for themselves.  Plus I didn't want to cut anything too small.  I wanted all of those apples to show!

When it came time for quilting, I thought about doing a stipple or loopy design, but since I loved the cross-hatching, I went with that.  Plus...EASY!!  I didn't even need a walking foot.  I just kept my regular foot on and went for it.  I quilted a straight line 1/4 inch from each seam and then another line 1/4 inch from each line.  So each seam got two lines on either side.  I didn't get too worried if my lines were perfectly straight or exactly 1/4 inch from the seam or each other.  The lines on the fabric are deliberately imperfect, so why not embrace it?

  And that backing fabric...it's vintage from my Grandma's house.  I brought home a suitcase-FULL of fabrics that were either her's or my Great-Grandma's last October and this was one of them.  It's a thick linen-like cotton blend.  I love the color and how I could easily just turn the table runner over and use the back with it's great quilted design when I've moved my decorations toward Thanksgiving!

  As for binding...well, I went through my stash and chose this dark brown.  It matched my quilting thread and I thought it tied all of the fall colors back together.

  Overall, this was a great quick project.  It's nice to look at my living room and see something handmade.  And even better...I've got leftover charm squares to make into pillows when my slipcovers arrive.  That  plaid on the couches is going to take a little hibernation while I give some slipcovers a try.  I picked out those couches when we built our home 7 years ago, and while I still love them, they are awful hard to make pillows for.  And we all know how much fun pillows are to make!

  I hope y'all are having a great Friday and have a fun weekend planned.  I've got a bridal shower and the Gator game tomorrow, but otherwise I plan on spending some time sorting out my knitting needles and seeing what yarn wants to jump on them and what it wants to become...

  I'll be linking up this project to Rachel's Celebrate Color home decor contest for September.  There are some AWESOME projects linked up in all of the categories, so take some time this weekend to visit Rachel and then all of the amazing people showing off their colorful projects.  Wow!