It’s three weeks since I last shared my new hand quilting project, a Christmas runner with 24 embroidered squares. The embroideries were a surprise SAL from Hugs’n’kisses before Christmas,their suggestion was to use them for an Advent calendar, we don’t need another Advent calendar so I decided to make them into a simple runner to go on our sideboard.
Last time I showed you I had almost finished the piecing (by machine) so it was nearly ready to start sandwiching and quilting…
I finished the piecing that same day…and then it sat there, looking reproachfully at me…until Friday!! Two days ago I finally gave myself a bit of a talking to and sandwiched it. The backing is pieced as the main fabrics I used weren’t quite big enough, so I used a different one. Of course the runner is a couple of inches longer than a width of fabric, rather than cutting down the length of a piece of fabric I decided to put a six inch strip of the top gold fabric in the middle instead, it works pretty well.
My original thought with quilting was firstly to keep it simple, secondly to try more of a big stitch quilting with a perle thread – I have a big box of colourful perle threads! I tried laying red and green threads first, I just wanted simple lines along the squares but continuing across the centre, so it would almost make a plaid pattern. Unfortunately the red and green shades just didn’t look right. I tried a soft gold colour and that seemed to work with all three colours.
I’ve used a polyester batting just to see if it’s any easier to hand quilt, I happened to have some in my stash as my mum wanted to try some quilting last year. I’ve stitched a few rows and so far I’m pretty pleased with my stitching, it’s not as straight as it could have been but I’ve just been stitching by eye, probably not the most accurate way of making a straight line! I’m trying a hera marker for the next few lines, see if that helps.
Once I’ve stitched the short rows across I’ll do the long lines travelling the length of the runner. Hopefully next time I’ll have made a bit more progress – what would I do without this HQAL!!
Hand Quilt Along Links
This Hand Quilt Along is an opportunity for hand quilters and piecers to share and motivate one another. We post every three weeks, to show our progress and encourage one another. If you have a hand quilting project and would like to join our group contact Kathy at the link below.
Kathy, Margaret, Emma, Tracy, Deb, Susan, Nanette, Edith, Sharon, Karrin, Gretchen, Kathi, Bella, Daisy and Connie
I’ll also be linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, please follow the link to see more hand stitched inspiration.
thecraftycreek 
Great idea for a table runner!
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What a lovely piece this turned out to be and your choice of gold for quilting is inspired!
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I really like it, Margaret! 🙂
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That looks lovely! THe golden fabric is a great choice to go with the embroideries
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Very very pretty and it will be finished for next Christmas!
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Thanks, it will hopefully be finished soon, though we’re away for next Christmas so it won’t be used til 2021!!
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Your runner is so pretty!! What a marvelous keepsake to take out every year.
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Such a pretty festive table runner – love the gold inlay and use of that fabric 🙂
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Thanks, it’s a lovely range of Christmas fabrics
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great idea to make a table runner rather than advent calendar!
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I haven’t tried big stitch quilting with perle cotton yet. How do you find it? This is going to be beautiful for next Christmas, and a great short project after your rabbit hole quilt!
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So far it seems pretty good to stitch with, I’m not convinced my stitches are any bigger than before, I think I’m just naturally a big stitch quilter 🙂
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I really like the table runner! If I were not so behind, I would make one like it!!!!!
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You’ve got 11 months to make one 🙂
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I really like your runner, it’s going to be lovely on a table come holiday time! I think all of us doing this HQAL is finding it a real motivator .
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I like how your table runner looks. The simple quilting will showcase the embroidery. It is very pretty.
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