Something Super Simple to Start

This is the first project I've made on my new sewing machine: a very simple table runner. Each square is 6 inches finished, so the whole thing is 12 by 30 inches. The fabric is 12 Joys of Christmas by Sheri Berry. I LOVE the fabric. It is the only time (besides a couple of charm packs) that I've bought a bunch of fabrics from a coordinated line. When I saw this fabric, I just thought every print was great. It has a wonderful retro/nostalgic feel and reminds me of so many things from Christmases past.
One of the neat things about my new machine that I didn't have before are fancy stitches. Yay! I quilted the runner using a regular straight stitch just off to one side of each seam, and then this little line of snowflakes down the other. They are so dainty and pretty!

For the backing I used what I believe is a Joel Dewberry print (if you're a regular reader of the blog, you'll understand why the selvage with the name of the fabric is long gone ;-) ...)

Anyway, I have plenty more of this fabric and plan to make a much bigger, longer runner for our dining room table, as well as some more smaller ones for gifts. This went together super quick. And the best thing was, the new machine cooperated!!!

Now, on another note, remember the big Nason Family Pumpkin Glow display at our house that I showed a few posts back? Look who stopped by for a snack after Halloween, before I could get the pumpkins to our garden for compost. Don't let that sweet innocent expression fool you. That deer is a pumpkin-eating machine! ;-)
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And finally, I have 100 Followers! Woohoo! It is especially cool because I think I've only actually met 5 or 6 of you in real life (including my Mom). Hi Mom! So, come back tomorrow for a fabric giveaway to celebrate and say thanks. I'm thinking some Heather Ross fabric...
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Happy Quilting!

Mile-Long Halloween Table Runner

Okay, so it's not a mile long, but it sure seemed like that when I was binding it. Keeping it real, it's only 7 feet long. It goes the whole length of our dining room table. Also, keeping it real, you can see my "helpers" don't know too much about photo styling. ;-) They were very happy to get in on the quilty photo action though, as I had finally made something small enough for them to hold for pictures rather than Daddy ... but "Daddy" responds better to my directions ... about where to turn to get the right background, how high or straight to hold it ...
I so love their effort, but there were coordination issues ... this is about the best of the indoor shots ...

Anyway, I am really pleased with this table runner. It went together really fast. You can see it is just simple random-width strips. I had leftover Halloween fabric from the quilts I made this year. In some cases, the very last scraps of the fabric are in this runner.
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Over Thanksgiving, we visited my parents for a day and I used my Mom's new sewing machine. So fun! I used the decorative stitch that looks like a baseball stitch to quilt the runner. I just used straight lines. I went over each seam and then added in a few extra lines here and there where needed. It was sooooooo nice to use a machine that didn't tangle thread, randomly change its own tension, get stuck, etc. ...

I used this Woodgrain by Joel Dewberry for binding.

On the table waiting for the first spill ;-)