Saturday, May 9, 2015

Slices of Grape Table Runner

Hello Dear Blogging Friends!

I'm recovering well from my recent gallbladder surgery, and after a week of inaction I really needed to sew! I headed over to my Studio looking for a project in progress to finish.
Slices of Grape Table Runner looks perfect on my purple bench!
I had this table runner half finished so I decided that it was time to "get her done!" The pattern is from the book, Set the Table. It is on page 41, called Slices of Sunshine. I assembled mine in a quilt as you go method, so it would be fully quilted when the top was completed.

The table runner measures 20" by 54". I had to buy the white fabric but all the purples came from Nancy's House of Fabric (aka my Stash). It is a much belated gift for my former co-worker Brooke. I had originally promised it to her as a housewarming gift when she bought a house, then it was going to be her engagement gift, and then a wedding gift. I figured it won't work as a baby quilt, so I better finish it before she makes her next big life change.
Here's a close-up. I love purple!
I pressed my friend Cindy into service as a blog model. Elvis is at lower right.
Here's an interesting fact about the binding. Normally I use straight grain binding which I cut perpendicular to the selvage. I had a large piece of left over 108" wide quilt backing fabric, that came from Anna's wedding quilt, but in order to use it, I had to cut it parallel to the selvage. This is the less stretchy grain of the fabric and I was wondering how it would work, but it came out great. My binding is super flat and super tight. Have you ever done this? I know that cutting this way is often recommended for borders.
Here is a gorgeous get well bouquet that my co-workers Elissa and Julie sent me.
The colors go perfectly with this blog post.
Linking up to Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Richard and Tanya Quilts, Pink Doxies' Pet Project Show and Fort Worth Studio's Fabric Frenzy Friday. Adding another link to Sew Many Ways on Sunday and to Freemotion by the River on Tuesday. Thanks for visiting!

Pugs and kisses,
Nancy

10 comments:

  1. So pretty and cheerful, Love it!

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  2. I am glad you are feeling up to sewing!

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  3. Glad you're feeling better! I love the runner on your bench, looks great there! I cut binding strips both directions, depending on how much fabric I have. I should pay more attention to which I like better. I've done bias a few times (for scalloped edges and once on a striped fabric that I wanted to make diagonal) but never thought about which way to cut the regular bindings. Hhhmmm...

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  4. I usually cut my binding perpendicular to the grain like you said. However, if I am using the same binding as the backing I cut it parallel to the selvage since I have these lengths of fabric left over. I mentioned this to someone once and I got "scolded" to not do that. I just nodded and smiled. It has always worked great for me. I am glad you are on the mend.

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  5. Great table runner. Glad you are feeling better. I do binding in so many ways. I have done it both ways, and even made bias binding and they all have their good points and bad point. Elvis does not look like he was happy modeling today.

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  6. Oh dear Nancy... Glad to hear that you are recovering well. Love hp well your purple runner and bench go together!

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  7. Those purples are eye-popping! They look great with the bench.

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  8. Very nice table runner. I like the colour!

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  9. I'm glad you are feeling better Nancy and that is the cutest runner on the purple bench!!!

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