Quilted Table Runner-tutorial

I finished my table runner!

I really shouldn't be so proud that it takes me weeks to finish assignments, but seeing as how I still have a quilt unfinished that was started in 2002, my standards are pretty low.

It's not perfect, but I really do love it. It makes me want a whole quilt in the same style. Except the part where I have to do all the piecing and whatnot. I have a ton of admiration for people who quilt. I don't know where you find the patience!

If you want a table runner full of endearing imperfections, here's how I made mine, explained in my usual clear-as-mud way.




Runner in Circles
a tutorial

materials needed:
-2 Moda Charm packs, I used Hello Betty in the Retro prints
-the free PDF from this curved seam pillow pattern on Purl Bee, reduced by 50%
-2 yards of natural cotton muslin
-quilt batting

Begin by sorting through your charm packs and picking out 24 prints you like

Cut out the PDF curved seam pattern and trace on wrong side of charms, all 24 of them

cut out

stack according to size

arrange curves into blocks, mixing and matching as you see fit

using the curved seam technique, start sewing those curves together forming your smaller blocks

press

now you get to play with the small blocks, arranging them into six squares however you choose
sew the squares together, 4 smaller blocks to each larger square.  Try to match curves as best you can.  My best? Not so great.  Good luck to you.

press.

cut muslin strips:
-seven 2.5" by 7.5"
-twelve 2.5" by 12"

sew to large squares, forming muslin frames around each

Sew the frames squares to each other in a long line.

Lay on batting and cut a piece to fit

do the same with the muslin, baste or pin all three pieces sandwiched together

If you have a walking foot, now's the time to use it.  If not, go slowly and make sure that the top layer is moving along with the bottom layer as much as you can.

Begin quilting by following the outline of the curves within the printed squares

repeat for all squares, leaving the top muslin unquilted.  The reverse side of the squares will look like this

You can continue on in the outlining quilting with the "frame" or sashing muslin on top.  I decided I wanted to try out my stipling foot

I used a curvy "wandering" stitch (X) to give the end result more movement.
And this is what my version of stipling looks like.  It's very freeform and fun.

I loved the contrast with the outlined squares



Now it's time to bind. 
Gather 11 or so more charms in the prints you love


sew them together


making a nice, long strip


press


cut in long, 1.5 inch strips.  You should get three strips out of the long line you made, with a tiny bit left over.

sew ( I serged to help trim off the excess batting and whatnot) to the runner, right side of strip facing top side of runner

Press flat

Fold under about a quarter of an inch


Then fold under once more wrapping the bottom runner's edge

Pin in place

On the top of the runner, stitch in the ditch, catching the underside of your binding but hiding the stitches on the top side


Ta-da!

It's a little shorter than I would have liked, but overall, I'm really happy with it.  If you added another 4 blocks, so one more square bringing the total to seven (and additional muslin strips) it would be perfect.  But I didn't have enough charms for that (I ended up buying more to do the binding, so I guess I could have added another.  whatever.)