Our family had our Christmas celebration with my husband's parents yesterday. We were bumped up a day, with little warning after learning about the ice storm that is hitting us today. This wouldn't be a safe day to be driving around. I have been a very busy person the last few weeks. I didn't even have this little runner quilted until last weekend. Thank goodness the binding is a relatively quick sew.
This was started 2 years ago in a Harriet Hargrave class I took on invisible machine applique. I had half of the appliques done way back when. I'm not really sure why I never finished it, but I didn't make any Christmas presents last year so that probably has something to do with why it sat so long. The other (and obvious) is that it really is not my color palate. I was given a layer cake years ago at a retreat, and it just sat, and sat. I didn't have anything to use it on, but I did bring it to this class, and this was started with it. The background is made up of several white and red French-style toile prints. When it came time to finish the applique, I am now on a new domestic machine, and I have no idea what stitch or what settings I was using 2 yrs ago! The blind stitching on half if it is slightly different if you know to look for it. Oh, well. We call it blind for a reason...it doesn't really show much. My MIL isn't much of a stitcher, and certainly not a quilter so I doubt it will be detected. Then again, I'm not really sure she liked it whatsoever -- a risk always faced when making gifts.
The quilting is with Glide thread. The background has the free-feathers all over it. Fortunately, the appliques are simple and do just fine with ditching and simple quilting on them. No need to overthink it. And I do like a scrappy border, and the parallel lines are just what it needs. I even did the binding in scraps of the darker reds. It all works. I like it. It is nice work. Not my colors and designs, but nice. It at the very least warranted those words, but as I said, people that don't make handmade gifts just don't always appreciate the time and investment we put into our work. The lack of nice words is completely deflating. So...even if you hate it, compliment that handmade gift!
Here's one last look at the little flower and heart. She thinks it looks Pennsylvania Dutch. I'm not sure. It's Harriet's design, not mine. I just hope to actually see it on her table sometime.
Mostly, all other details in my household are ready for Christmas. Most gifts are wrapped. Food is bought. I started some homemade almond joy bars today. Guess I'll be heading to the gym tomorrow!!
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4 comments:
Your runner is so lovely, and I like the way you quilted it as well.
I think your runner is lovely. That would look good on any table! And I can't imagine not gushing when someone gives you a handmade gift. But my family is similar, and I gave up making things for them long ago. My sisters and mother always thought that it could only be great if it came from a department store! Ugh! I just don't know how I grew up in the same house with those people! lol
Hoping you have a very Merry Christmas!
I recognized that flower pattern immediately -- I took the same class with Harriet Hargrave this past April, and I've had that block lying around my own sewing room ever since, for the same reason that yours did -- not my favorite design, didn't love the fabrics I used (except for the background), and I only have the one block because I decided that I didn't really enjoy machine applique and I've been learning to do it by hand instead. I do like the block better with your fabrics, though, because they do give it a folk art look -- kind of Pennsylvania Dutch like your MIL said, or maybe Scandinavian rosemaling folk art? I used bright batiks for mine and they just don't look right to me.
I can't believe your MIL couldn't even compliment your handmade gift! It's beautiful, and even if she doesn't use it year-round, it would be lovely for the 4th of July with the red, almost-white and blue and the folk art feel.
Merry Christmas!
nice design
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