Completing the Table Runner

I really don't enjoy unfinished works, so as soon as I got home from work I got to working on my binding. After rewatching the video from Ehow.com on Machine Binding, I went to work pinning my binding to the table topper. Pinning the binding was the easy part. Once I had it pinned down I had to attempt to sew it on perfectly with the 1/4 inch seam allowance, the pins really helped me get this correct. There is only one part that you'll find on the finished table topper where I couldn't get the binding in the right place on the top side (Which was annoying but hey it's my first project).

After I got the binding attached by machine, I cut down the excess batting and backing to a half inch, as the youtube video stated. I had to trim it down a bit more in a few places because of a few small inconsistencies in my 1/4 inch seam but overall this was pretty easy with the rotary cutter. 

Once I had it cut down I unpinned the binding and started folding it over to the back side. The goal is to have the binding tuck into the back side so that if you go over your first binding stitch it will attach the back binding in the same place and look almost seamless. In about 45% of the quilt I would say this happened... the other parts--- well let's just say thank goodness this isn't a reversible table topper. Although there were some parts where it didn't go in as well as I would have liked it looks very nice on the top. If I were to do it over I might consider hand stitching as you have more control but this was WAY fast and it made me happy to finally have a finished piece of work! 

Here are photos of the finished product:

Finished Product!

Close up of Backing, binding, and quilt top. 

Split View of Left and Right Side

Completed back and binding 

Now that this project is complete I'm going to go back and make a hot pad out of my 10 inch log cabin block I made. I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow! 

Original Log Cabin

Table Runner Project Part Two

I knew the table runner project was going to require some assistance, so I reached out to my great quilting 101 teacher to see about going to her house for help in adding the batting/backing/and binding to my table runner. 

I was able to join her and another quilter (who was getting help designing a really neat animal themed quilt for her son) after work today. I set up my sewing machine and took out the table runner top, both ladies were jealous that my fabrics thus far had all been from Goodwill :) 

To get started on adding the backing and batting to the table runner I ironed my backing fabric, cut to the desired length and width with a bit extra on each side to make sure there is enough, and then laid it flat on a large piece of cardboard and pinned it down taunt. Next we laid out the batting, just a bit smaller piece than the backing, and then on top of that, Right Side up, we added the table topper. From here we pinned the outer most sides of the table topper to the other layers to get everything tight. Then we discussed what parts I wanted to "quilt". We decided since it was my first go at machine quilting I would outline each of the satin silver squares and the large snowman square in the middle. We pinned along the outsides of all of the silver squares to ensure the fabric wouldn't move to much while quilting.   Then my quilting instructor asked me about what type of thread I was planning on using... I said white most likely because the only other color I have right now is navy blue. She laughed and brought back a really fun rayon thread that was multiple colors and quite shiny. We tested it along with a few of the fancy stitches on my machine on a test "sandwich" (fabric, batting,fabric). I decided to go with selection 51 on my machine for the stitch. After getting half way through quilting the table topper it was time for me to head back home. 

When I got home I finished quilting the table topper and then spent about 30 minutes surfing the internet trying to find out how to add the binding to the quilt-- as we hadn't got that far before I left class. Eventually I found two videos, one from Ehow.com and another from the wonderful Missouri Quilt Co. . While the quilt company gave me the best instructions for determining the length needed for my binding, the ehow gave instruction on how to machine finish-- which is what I wanted to do as I'm not super patient sewing and it's been forever since I've sewn by hand. 

I used the info from Missouri's video to cut out my binding and iron it out so it would be ready for me when I got home from work on Thursday. 

Here are the photos of where my table topper ended today: 

View of table topper pinned to all three layers (sorry for poor photo quality) 

Stitching on the back, could have done navy but figured might as well have some pattern. 

Closeup so you can see what stitch 51 looks like :)

Multi colored thread and close up of pinning pattern.

Binding for tomorrow!

Setting Up For Quilting At Home

Quilting Day Two:

After finishing my quilting 101 class I knew that I'd need more fabric to practice with and to pick up the sewing machine from Costco. Since I work later in the day on Tuesdays I had a 2.25 hour time block before work where I could run around town picking up fabric and my sewing machine, and then see how far I could get at getting my quilting area at home set up. My wonderful husband agreed that the dining room would be a great place for me to set up for quilting since we don't use the room too often and it has a large table and plenty of light. 

So at 9:00 a.m. I set out to accomplish my task. I first went to Goodwill where I was able to pick up three bags of fabrics for a total cost of $2.97 :) (1 with three types of holiday fabric, 1 with some pastel and red/white fabric, and another with a large about of light blue fabric). Next I went to Savers where they sell fabric individually but it's usually at least a yard of fabric or more. There I got a great red Christmas print fabric, a beautiful pastel pink and orange fabric with birds for $2.50 total. By 9:40 I had made it to Costco, got gas in my car, and at 9:45 they started letting people in early. I had my sewing machine in my cart and was through the checkout line by 9:50am and left with a Diet Coke in my hand and a smile on my face!  

By 10:00 a.m. I had made it back to my house. As I mentioned before I knew that the Brother sewing machine was the one I would get so of course even before purchasing I had watched the informational set up video for the machine on YouTube. This was helpful because when I arrived home I knew I'd have 1 hour and 20 minutes before I needed to leave to work, and I realized the set up video was about 20 minutes long-- so that would mean I should be able to have the machine up and going pretty quickly and have time to run a few test stitches before needing to leave for work. 

Sure enough the machine was pretty easy to set up, just follow the video. **Note to all people who buy a sewing machine--- the machines do not come with spools of thread, you'll want to buy at least one before bringing yours home and trying to set it up or you'll be spending 20 minutes of your 1 hour and 20 minutes driving to the closes Albertson's to get thread so you can complete set up like I did** The only struggle I had in setting the machine up was the automatic threader for the upper thread. I felt like it would just not catch-- after watching the video on a ten-second repeat about 5 times I realized I just was releasing the lever to fast and it couldn't catch. Once I figured this out I go the upper and lower thread set. 

To practice sewing I just cut a few strips of fabric and ran lines through. I knew I'd need to figure out where my 1/4 inch marker was before I started to make any sort of quilting blocks. The machine I purchased came with 8 different feet... however the only one it didn't come with was the 1/4 inch quilting foot which I immediately purchased on Amazon for $12.00 and paid to have it shipped over night (I <3 Amazon Prime). Once I figured out the seam allowance issue I cut a few strips of fabric and made another 9 Square block, by the time it was complete I had to head out the door to get to work, but I was super happy to see that I retained my knowledge from the night before and the sewing machine didn't get the best of me. 

The Block on the left was made in the 101 class, the block on the right I made at home in about 15 minutes!