No matter how busy I get, I love to do something unexpected and fun. This week I made a runner for The Joyful Quilter's March TABLE SCRAPS Challenge. The themes were yellow/gold and floral. It was good to play with simple blocks and a thrill to free motion quilt (FMQ) it.
TABLE SCRAPS challenge
As you may know, I try not to get too involved in challenges because I have so much going on....but every once in a while, I let go of that guideline and go for it. Also, since I didn't tell anyone that I was linking up (I love when there is no sign up), there was no pressure if it didn't get done.
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| A yellow runner to welcome the spring |
I was going to use one of Cynthia Brunz's (of the Oh Scrap! party) Scrap Mixology Modules (I have modules 1 to 3). I thought that I was doing great until I realised that I had just sewn a bunch of strips together but with no neutral colours in between for 9 patch. So this is a variation of her Chaser block, from her Module 3 Scrap Mixology booklet.
When I start sewing strips together, something comes over me and I have no time to read instructions - I just want to sew and then I have to make it up as I go along.😊 One day, I'll start by planning a little bit so that I can make her actual Chaser block.
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| Scrappy yellow floral runner |
I don't have any photos of the process, except for all of the blocks on my design wall. At first, I really didn't like what I was seeing. As I started re-arranging the blocks in some sort of order, I started warming up to it.
Since I took a whole bunch of pictures, I may as well share them with you. I find that I can see patterns and problems better in a photo than in real life.
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| A bit of a mix on the design wall |
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| Putting some order in the blocks |
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| Slowly getting there! |
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| Flipping the brown edges around |
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| Final design with strong yellow strips meeting |
Once I decided on a final design, I started sewing them together in rows. Of course I managed to sew the rows in the wrong order but the un-stitching wasn't too tedious and well worth it.
Since the runner was supposed to be mostly yellow, I used bright yellow thread to FMQ a simple variation of Angela Walter's Feather Meander. It's a variation because I don't do much echoing and also add leaves and sprigs here and there 😊 My design is more of a flower meander than a feather meander.
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| Details of the FMQ |
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| Isn't that an amazing fabric of pineapple and tropical flowers? |
What I learned
- Sometimes I really need to slow down and actually think about what I'm going to do. I get in trouble when I just start sewing pieces of fabric together. It often comes out well in the end but it might be a little less stressful.
- I'm starting to realise that I like the problem solving that goes with not planning too much, so I may have to just embrace the stress of the problem solving!
- It was so good to just sew and then quilt - no big expectations of artistic merit, just pure play (even if I got a little stressed about the layout!).
- The yellow quilting thread and the binding does make the runner more yellow than it looked on the design wall.
Related links
- Joyful Quilter's 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge page
- Cynthia Brunz Designs, Scrap Mixology Modules
- Angela Walter's Feather Meander video
Linking parties
I'll be linking up to many fun linking parties. Let's see what's going on out there! 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge, Oh Scrap!, Patchwork & Quilts, DrEAMi! (Drop Everything and Make it!) with Sandra, Put your foot down, Peacock Party, Beauties Pageant, TGIFF. Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, Needle & Thread Thursday
Project details
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Thanks for playing along with the March 2022 TABLE SCRAPS Challenge prompt, Andree. I think your super scrappy Chaser-inspired runner is perfectly wonderful!! I'm pretty sure that Cynthia would agree.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Joyful :-) I'm glad that I took some time to just play with scraps. It was really refreshing and the perfect break I needed. I'm looking forward to pink words in April! Thanks for the fun challenge.
DeleteI do agree! And you used my Scrap Mixology pattern how I intended. It is an idea pattern that has you coming up with your own versions. I just supply some examples :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your lovely topper with Oh Scrap!
Thanks Cynthia. I am however, looking forward to making something more 9 patchish... since it's one of my favourite looks for scrappy. I do love your modules - they are full of great ideas.
DeleteLove it. You have a knack for spontaneous projects.
ReplyDeleteThanks Angie. It's one of the few areas of my life that I can be spontaneous :-)
DeleteBeautiful runner Andree and the backing fabric is just perfect. Well done!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Ivani. It was a real joy to make!
DeleteI like the blocks you created, even if they weren't quite what you started out to make! They make a fun, scrappy tabletopper, and it's especially pretty with the tulips!
ReplyDeleteThank you. Funny how I expect something even when I don't take the time to work it out. I'm really glad that it turned out well. Take care.
DeleteThat is really cute!! The yellow is so happy together!
ReplyDeleteThanks Alycia, Spring deserve a happy yellow :-)
DeleteThis is a lovely runner for Spring :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Janine - yellow is such a happy colour!
DeleteA very sunny project for spring. Sounds like you really enjoyed your detour from the normal project list.
ReplyDeleteThanks Kate. That's rather telling but I guess big projects are not the easiest to keep the momentum up. Distractions are a good thing :-)
DeleteThat backing is just the best! I love the front too, but this is one where I'd 'share' the front and the back. You are so right that just making on a whim is such fun (and good for the soul). Thanks for following your heart and linking up with DrEAMi!
ReplyDeleteThanks Sandra - squirrels are a necessary part of life I think. Thanks for hosting the DrEAMi! link. It's always fun :-)
DeleteGreat job on the table scraps runner. I do think binding can pull out a color more sometimes. I love your 1 & 2 for learning...sewing randomly makes it harder, but you like solving it...very interesting.
ReplyDeleteHi Kathleen. Thanks. I think that I'm a sucker for punishment but having a challenge makes me think. I like quilting challenges more than most life challenges :-)
DeleteSeems like every time I frown at a WIP it turns out to be a favorite. I really like your runner and the backing is a nice piece of fabric. Thank you so much for linking up to Put your foot down. I will have something to link up next week.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Denise. I love linking up and seeing what you've been up to. See you soon I hope - the Free Motion Mavericks party begins at midnight :-)
DeleteI don’t know how I missed your March Table Scraps post, but I’m glad I found it here on Sandra’s DrEAMI roundup! It’s great! Well done, indeed! I’m having commenting problems! Hopefully this post doesn’t show up as anonymous!
ReplyDelete