Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Running With Donna, Part 3

I thought I'd share my quilting process with you today - and the machine part of the binding.  I'm slowly doing the hand work.  Actually, I've gotten as far as tossing the runner on my dining room table and grabbing one of my hand-sewing baskets to bring upstairs.  Hey, it's a start, right?

My first step was to quilt 1/4" inside the "peaks and valleys", or whatever you'd like to call them.

IMG_6749 Table Runner with Donna

I used my walking foot for that. I'm in my comfort zone with the walking foot... and realized I need to break out of that habit and get some practice with my BSR, doing free-motion quilting.

IMG_6757 Table Runner with Donna
Don't fear the BSR!
I can only improve through practice ... right?  I did some swirls in the Kansas fabric:

IMG_6760 Table Runner with Donna

You know... like swirling Kansas winds! I think I should have made them larger or not as "tight". But it's practice.

I used a variegated King Tut thread -- Sands of Time. LOVE the King!

Here's what I made up for the background areas:

IMG_6796 Table Runner with Donna

I like how that came out better than the swirls - but the outer areas are always easier for me than the middles. And it was WAY easier to see where I was going and had been!

I decided to use the Kansas fabric for the binding:

IMG_6807 Table Runner with Donna

I've started winding my binding around one of my antique spools - just to keep it tidy. Of course, I usually knock it on the floor and it unwinds... but HA! I have a cool solution for that now! Check this out:

IMG_6809 Table Runner with Donna

Yes, put it in a bowl/pan! But not just ANY bowl!  A MAGNETIC bowl!

IMG_6810 Table Runner with Donna

It's from the auto parts department. I'd like a smaller bowl, but this is what I found; I knew I'd find a cool use for it! The spool has JUST enough nails in it to make it "stick" to the magnets, but it also just easily unwinds as I sew!!! VERY, VERY cool!!!

I'll be sharing pix of Donna's runner with you, too - I always love seeing different interpretations of a pattern and in different color ways!  As for now ... I need to get the hand part of the binding done!

Thanks for reading!

4 comments:

  1. You are so clever. I love the flower pattern in the quilting!

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  2. The quilting is great, but I want one of those binding thingies!!! I just showed it to my husband and he says he will make me one out of some wood, but it won't be quite as cute as your antique spool.

    Thanks for the tip on the magnetic trays from the auto store too. I am going to have to see if I can get one of them. I bet they are cheaper than the pin keepers they market for sewing.

    Cindy

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  3. That is very clever! I didn't know they had magnetic bowls! I love the Kansas fabric of course since I'm a Kansan!

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  4. How very clever you are, Miss Karen! Your quilting is just beautiful!

    Love ya lots,
    Mitch

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