Essence Tablerunners

Fabric City opened in Jan. of this year and one of the first lines in the store was Essence by Sandy Gervais for Moda. I absolutely fell in love with it, even though it's really not my normal colors. I bought a layer cake, dessert roll, and a honeybun, plus some yardage to make two tablerunners for class samples. I made the Sweet Escape Tablerunner and the Fresh Bloom Tablerunner. I even had the Baby Blocks Tablerunner cut out, but just never got it made. All the patterns are from Heather Mulder Peterson's On the Run tablerunner book.  I've been working on it for the last few days and I had it in strips last night. I figured out I had enough of the purple circles to border it, so I used it and quickly finished the top. It was still early and I had enough fabric for backing for 2 tablerunners, so I put it on the frame and quilted it up. I did make it one strip wider than the pattern called for, but it still makes a nice size tablerunner.

I did swirls on this one, which I haven't done in forever, but they were so fun to do! The swirls reminded me of the circles in the fabric. I used a purple King Tut verigated and a cream bottomline. The backing is the same circles, but in the teal.

As I finished quilting this one, I wasn't sure what I was going to use for binding. I only had one dessert roll strip left. I cut my strips 1.625 to get the widest strip I could and still have enough to go around the whole quilt. I did a narrower seam when I put it on, but it will work and no one will know the difference.

I also quilted the Essence Ripple Effect tablerunner I had made at the quilt retreat back in September. I just did a small meander on it. I used a teal King Tut on top and a cream Bottomline. I had enough of the teal to bind it, so I got the binding on it as well. I should be able to make good progress on the handwork on these since it's raining today and I don't think we'll be walking at break time.  I've made all the tablerunners I'm going to make from this line, unless I use the leftover honeybun strips for a small table topper or something. I have quite a few of those left, but no pattern to use them with. I also have a 3" high stack of tumbler blocks cut out from the layer cake. I used a few of the layer cake pieces for the Fresh Bloom tablerunner and cut the rest into 5" charms. Back before the quilt retreat I cut them into tumblers. I'm hoping to get a throw size quilt out of them. I have enough backing for a tumbler quilt and binding for that quilt and then I should be done with the Essence fabric. I love it, but I've gotta use it before fall is over!

My hubby comes home tonight, so last night I quickly whipped up this bathroom bag for him. I think it's a little small, so I'm going to have him decide before I cut the fat quarter sized piece up and make another bag. It was quick and easy and I hope he likes it. It's made from the leftovers of a pair of shorts I made him last year.



After such a productive night I'm hoping I'll get a lot done this weekend too! I trimmed up the tree skirt/table topper and need to make bias binding for it. I have a purse I'd like to get made for my mom and I have 2 quilts to bind for the store. I've also got to check my UFO list and see what projects need to be added to it. UFO Sew Down 2010 starts on Sunday!