Finish It Friday

In a flurry of self-indulgent sewing and British detective shows on Netflix, I holed up in my sewing space and jammed through some projects I've been wanting to make for myself.

My LQS (local quilt shop) restocked the pattern for the Spicy Table Runner I'd admired there before, and just happened to be hosting a class for the same pattern within days of my asking about the pattern. So, I signed myself up, and in typical over-achiever style, I brought enough fabric to make two table runners. And I finished them, in one week, from start to finish, so I could show off a little share them at the quilt guild meeting.

Found this fabric bundle at the thrift store!

Won this fabric bundle, door prize from my LQS!

I had a lot of fun making these, seeing what I ended up with after sewing strips together and then cutting them up again. I experimented with free motion quilting, too, stitching pebbles and swirls, and feathers and vines into the different layers.

Click to see quilting detail.

I used my seam ripper to take out the quilting stitches from the first of these place mats, because I decided to finish the outside edges with an enclosed seam instead of a scrappy binding, for a cleaner look.

I'll be pulling thread bits out of this one forever!

I really like the look of the Summersville prints with the linen, and it was fun to use a different traditional block pattern with each mat. I may still add some hand stitching, but I already can't believe I put so much effort into something likely to get stained pretty quickly!

Set of six

Looking pretty on the table.

And, since someone who has just moved into a new apartment and started a new job said she really liked the Summersville fabric, I used some scraps to make her a couple of pot holders. My new sewing machine embroidered the lettering, can you see it?

I'm linking up with Amanda Jean's Finish it up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts, to once again show off a little share my progress!