SECOND CHRISTMAS GIFT DONE....

The island runner for my folks and aunt is done!  I'm loving it, but still a bit disappointed.  I have a very definite wave on the edge, toward the far end.  I have not pressed it yet, but I am sure the wave will not go away much.  Apparently my cutting was off.  I had some difficulty with the binding, I was WAY shorter than I expected it to be and had to piece it quite a bit to get it long enough.  I am wondering if that is part of the problem.  UPDATE:  I put some heavy books on the runner, figuring I would leave them there until I starch it and iron it another day.  The waves have disappeared!  Woohoo.  I will still press it nice before I wrap it.  Today I am too beat.  I pushed myself WAY too hard today and I feel horrible.  But that was the last of the "have to get done" for Christmas gifts.  I still want to work on J's quilt, but it is highly unlikely it will get done by the holiday.

Off to take a single Motrin and lie down. 

FALL RUNNER UPDATE...

The applique blocks are finished and sewn together.  Hard to take a picture when the item is this long and I'm this short, lol.  So here is a "one by one" of each block...

This block is repeated as the first and last block.  For some reason my computer would not download the first block picture.  So just imagine this times two!

I don't know if you can tell, but the fabric I used was called Artisan Spirit Shimmer.  Each fabric has a bit of a gold shimmer in it.  I decided that I wanted a hint of metallic in three of the appliques.  Fortunately, since buying needles specifically for metallic thread (never knew there was such a thing) I had NO trouble at all with this applique!

This block was problematic!  It is simply a two color applique and the green and light aqua were SO DULL.  I considered making another block, but there is a "matching" of overall shapes on each side of the center block, and there was not another one I could use.  Sooooo....I looked online for a plain circle applique that I could buy.  None that I could find.  I DID find a machine embroidery pattern of different sizes of circles.  It was free, so I downloaded it right away.  I played around for a while with scraps of fabric and came up with something I thought would work. 

I reduced the size of the smallest circle so that it was sufficiently different in size than the existing circles and would allow some of the aqua to show through.  I then lined my needle up with the center of the aqua circle, and moved a few threads over toward the center of the block so there would be more aqua showing on the outer edges of the circles.  I then placed a piece of the brown fabric over the aqua and pressed start.  I kept my finger right over the button so I could quickly stop when needed.  After the machine had made a single stitch circle I hit stop.  I removed the hoop (leaving the fabric in place) and trimmed off the brown fabric around the stitched circle.  I put the hoop back in the machine, pressed start, and let the pattern stitch a beautiful satin stitch around the brown fabric.  I am LOVING the way it turned out.  Necessity IS the mother of invention. 

This is the center block and has the largest amount of metallic thread.

I have discovered my LEAST favorite part of machine embroidery...tearing off the stabilizer.  This block was particularly difficult.  I know I could use wash away stabilizer, but I really love the stiffness of the tear away during the embroidery process.

A little bit more metallic thread on this one...

This one again!

My next step will be cutting out the fabrics for the flying geese around the appliqued blocks.  I would love to do it today, but my body is not cooperating at all.  So...I will rest and hope tomorrow is a more productive day. 

Toodles...

A CHRISTMAS GIFT...

...for my Mom, Dad and Dear Aunt.  

These two are finished.  Five more to go.  I think I am REALLY going to like it in the earth-tone fabrics I picked to match their kitchen.  The only problem is, my Mom won't want to use it for fear of getting it dirty, lol.  But then again, maybe having this pretty runner on the island will keep the other stuff that tends to deposit there at bay!  Hmmmm....maybe I need a day-to-day runner for my island!

Toodles...