The Long Overdue Birthday Present...a Quilted Table Runner

I finally got busy and made this long overdue (Liz's birthday was in April) birthday gift.  Liz wanted a table runner to go with on a chest in her living room, to coordinate with the quilt I gave her for Christmas. 

 I had fabric leftovers from the quilt, but just hadn't gotten around to it...so here it is.  It is also my first attempt at machine quilting with my regular sewing machine (or any sewing machine for that matter). 

I cut 4 x 8" rectangles and pieced them 16 long...I trimmed the edges with a 2.5" border.  I made it reversible, just using 4.5" strips 3 wide on the back.  I used that quilters spray adhesive, which worked really well.  I didn't have a single pucker or any shifting of either the fabric or the cotton batting!  I was very impressed with it.

I used Civil War reproduction fabrics...I am quite enamoured with the prints and the era from which they come.

Then I used leftover pieces for the binding...in just a random pattern.

I love the binding the most...I am not too happy with the quilting, I called Mom to find out how she does it (after I finished the quilting of course) and she told me I should have had the feed dog down, which I didn't have!  So, the next time.....

And next time, I will also use a neutral thread (NOT WHITE) for the quilting.  I was so excited to be actually quilting in a meandering pattern that I didn't even think to change from the white thread I had used to piece the quilt...so anyway!  Life goes on...I just keep telling myself that it could looked worse!

I thought it turned out looking pretty good.  Liz will like it...