Winter Table Runner

04Nov
by Janine @ Rainbow Hare

Yesterday I thought to myself ‘It’s about time I wrote a TTT post’ so I popped over to Making Rebecca Lynne and I couldn’t find this week’s TTT anywhere. So I thought I’d get on with my table runner. Then, this afternoon, what did I see in my blog roll but yesterday’s TTT. I have no idea what happened but here I am now – late to the linky party!

I tend to think a LOT about making things. If I managed to make everything I thought about making, I’d be a household name (notorious, if not sought after!). But this week I have discovered that whilst I can think and I can sew (after a fashion!) I don’t seem to be able to think and sew at the same time. Or at least when I have an idea about a sewing project, I don’t think it through. I work out how something can be put together in theory but I don’t take into account my ability to do it all in practice. In a way this good because I’m always on a steep learning curve. In a way it is bad because my poor Swap partners become guinea pigs for my trial and error methodology.

This week I have been thinking a lot about my table runner for Susan’s Modern Christmas Table Runner Swap. Mostly, I’ve been wondering what on earth possessed me design something with so many little pieces, lots of Y seams and a long curve how to transform my pattern into a real life piece of sewing. The piecing, thank goodness, has turned out pretty much OK but the curve, in particular, was extremely nerve wracking as I was almost certain I would wreck my hours of piecing trees and a house. With the advice and encouragement of other Swap members I used LOTS of pins…

And, by some kind of a miracle, I now think the snow is looking the best part…
Then, as I didn’t have any thread to match the sky, I tried my first ever hand quilting by outlining shapes with embroidery silk…
When I turned it over, I found it looked like a stitching project – although the colours are too faint to stand out well. If I’d though about it, this should have been obvious but as I said, I don’t seem to able sew and think at the same time so for me it was an exciting discovery! The stitching is very uneven but now I’m thinking that, if I planned it better, I could make reversible table runners or mug rugs pieced on one side and embroidered on the other. So that is gong straight onto my ‘to do’ list.
For now, I wish I’d thought to put some backing fabric over this before the binding because, whilst it was my eureka moment, for my partner I expect it will just look like bad sewing :(
I’ve also been thinking about Dresden plates and pondering the question – What is modern quilting?
But this post is getting rather long so I’m going to save that for next week!
I’m off now to link up with Rebecca Lynne and to visit the other Thursday Think Tank party goers.
Happy Thinking and Happy Sewing :)

14 thoughts on “Winter Table Runner”

  8. Benta At SLIKstitches

    Oh Janine, that is fab! I missed the point of the earlier photo and mentally congratulated you on the vertical quilting on the sky, then read that you didn't have thread so went back. Good grief woman, you PIECED the trees? This is an awesome table runner, and from the photos does look as if it's reversible. If your partner doesn't love it, let them know I am very happy to adopt it!

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  11. Rebecca Lynne

    Hahahah I am so glad you persevered and found TTT! Maybe I posted it late? You are ahead of me by 6hrs. I am loving this runner's stitching…so beautiful. This is going to be adored by whoever receives it!! Go Janine!

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