Table Runner Made with Strips

After I put the Christmas decorations away, I thought that the house looked so bare.  The tables needed a new look so I took out some strips and whipped up this runner!  

For this runner, I started with the background and batting, both cut to the length and width that I wanted.  Then I added two strips in the center and sewed them to the batting and background fabric. 

So this table runner is made with a quilt-as-you-go method.  After you add the first few strips, you can then add fabric strips to both sides which takes less time to complete the project.

I decided that I wanted to make it look more like patchwork than just adding strips, so I sewed some of the strips together and strategically placed them the way I wanted them to look.

I've made this quilt-as-you-go method before, and the last time I sewed additional quilting lines on the finished piece, but this time didn't.  If you turn the runner over, you will see the quilting lines on the back, so there's no need to quilt it more unless that is the look that you're going for.

The idea came from Sharon Holland and if you want to read her blog and see the colorful runner that she made, just click here.  I used 2" strips for my runner but you could also use a jelly roll with 2 1/2" strips.  It took a couple of hours to make.  

I'm happy with how it turned out.  The table in the dining room now looks "dressed" properly.  :)

There's a pile of 2" strips left over from this runner, and now I'm thinking that I might make something else out of them.   After all, they're all cut and ready to go :)

 

Table Runners are My Thing

In my upstairs hallway I have a long, thin black table that sits at the top of the stairs.  I decided during my time at home that it needed a runner to go on it.  I've been fond of this artwork piece made by Kelly Rae Roberts and I thought that I would pick out colors to match this piece.

I found some pink and some plum fabrics in my stash and then added some greens to go along with them.

I basically just cut them out into strips of various widths and sewed them together.

I have a couple of green quilts on the shelf below and I like how the colors coordinate with them, too.  I love seeing my little runner in the hallway every time I go upstairs.

What do you think?

Decorating with Teal

Recently I had all of the rooms of my house painted.  It was quite the undertaking and I'm not sure if I'd ever do the whole house at the same time again!  I had to move all of my crafting supplies out of the sewing and stamping rooms (and you know that I have a LOT!)  and it's still not all put back yet.  It's like moving all over again, only this time nothing is even in boxes.  :(

Slowly, I am sorting and putting things back together.  I look forward to when I get both of my crafting rooms all set and I can just go in and sew or stamp without having to look for all of the supplies. 

Anyway, I have added the color teal in all of its shades to my decorating palate for this house.  I had the kitchen painted a soft teal, sort of like Soft Sky.  Today I set out a table runner that I made using some teal-colored Waverly home decor fabrics that I had purchased from Walmart.  They're just the right thickness for only $3.97 per yard.  Who would have thought that you could buy such nice fabrics at Walmart? 

I put the runner on the center island to add a bit of color.  It goes nicely with the shabby chic tray and assorted decorating balls.

I also cut up some large squares from the fabrics and hemmed them to use as centerpieces for the tables.  Pretty much the entire downstairs is a mix-and-match for changing out the decor in each of the rooms.  I forgot to take a photo of this to show.

One of my friends painted this hutch and I put it in the dining room where people come over to make crafts.  It is the perfect accent color for the teal decorating palate. 

I will be using it to display some of the my current craft items.  And I found the card rack along the side of the road one day while driving to visit a friend.  Some man who was in the area helped me get it into my car.  It needed a bit of spray paint to freshen it up but now I think it looks great next to the hutch. 

One thing I'd like to do is put a banner along the top of the hutch.  What do you think?