A runner took off

2019.  Good Lord .... where did 2018 go?  It went by ever so quickly.  The year started off at a fast pace and just kept on speeding along.  Like a runner.

Well, my niece that received this table runner is a runner and has a couple marathons under her belt.  So, what better person to receive this?  It was gifted to her for Xmas 2018.

Batiks.  It is not often that I work with batik fabrics and I actually went out shopping for this runner.  Now, there are batiks in my stash .... but not many.  I'm not really a fan of batiks but it is good to have some to add into my scrap quilts.

The fabric colours were chosen based on this painting in their dining room.

Close ups of the machine quilting and for the first time ever for me .... machine applique.  Yes, by machine!  Will wonders never cease?

Now, this table runner didn't go quite so smoothly.  This photo looks like two blocks on top of each other.  Well, yes that is correct .... but they are sewn together.  What the heck did I do?  I don't know, but somehow when I did the machine applique, two blocks were picked up at the same time towards the end when I finished sewing the last edge of the leaf.  The block felt thick when it was removed from under the needle and lo and behold .... sewn together.

I tell you .... there were some blue words that came out of my mouth at that point.  Out came the seam ripper and very carefully, the errant stitches were removed and then it was carefully re-positioned and sewn again.

I'm very pleased with the look of this runner.  All by machine.  Well, I never expected that would ever happen!  By completing this runner, another ufo is crossed off my list.  Singing .... amen, amen, amen ......

Details:
Pattern Name:  Leaves (pattern name:  Autumn Leaves)
Pattern Source:  Workshop by Ruth Kennedy of Dancing Threads from Fergus, Ontario.
Pattern Started:  April 2017
Runner finished:  December 2018
Runner size:  16-1/4" x 45-1/4" (after washing and drying)
Block Size: 8-1/2" square
Machine applique and machine quilting
Batting:  poly/cotton

Could I see myself doing this leaf block again?  Absolutely.  In a bigger quilt for autumn.

My niece sent me photos of how this runner looks on their dining room table.  Lovely.

She also sent me a photo of their Xmas stockings that I made for them over the past twelve years (first ones made in 2006, then 2012 and 2015).  The smaller stockings were made for them after they first married (on the left and right).  Then as they had children, they requested they be made bigger and that is why the ones in between are bigger.  They all match in colours because fabric was stored away in a bin so that as each child came along, the bin was pulled out and the pattern and fabrics to match were all there.  I had my thinking cap on way back then.  Smart, eh! 

What else did I do for Xmas?  A bathroom storage shelf for another niece.  My niece had been pinning shelves on Pinterest and because I follow her, an idea was born for a Xmas gift.  Hubby and I made the shelf and the final coat of sealer was applied just a few days ago and she was able to take it home with her in her car.

It had to be custom made because she has an electrical outlet that is high up on the wall and she needed to be able to put her hand behind the slant of the shelf to plug in whatever she was using.  So, with instructions to her for what kind of measurements to take and photos, we got there in the end.   This is the first time my husband and I made anything like this and we surprised ourselves at how well the shelf turned out.  There is not much storage in my niece's apartment and this shelf will help her in many ways.  She is happy.  We are happy too.

So what did these two nieces and their families get for me?  This.  Boy, was I ever surprised when I opened my gift on Xmas morning to tell me that two months of this quilty box was coming.  I knew that something was coming beforehand and it was being delivered by UPS and to accept the parcel.  But not exactly what was coming.  The box arrived on Dec. 31 from Fat Quarter Shop and I can use everything.  What will January's box contain?  I tell you, this was exciting to open.  How did they think of this?  One niece said that she was doing some surfing on the net and noticed quilters showing photos of different quilting boxes and bingo, she knew this would be perfect for me.  Yep, she got that right!

So 2019 .... bring it on!  Let's see what can be done this year.  New and old projects.

Have a great stitching day!

Linking to: http://www.esthersquiltblog.com/ and http://needleandthreadnetwork.blogspot.com/