Blue Hexagon Round Table Runner

After finishing the Christmas table cloth for my dear friend, Marijke, during my stay in France in 2010, I would like to make a round table runner for myself using the same technique; English Paper Piecing. It was just the right project, for hand sewing, to start at the time when I joined the local ladies at the 'Fat Quarter' sewing group. After several stops and starts and 2 years on with my acquisition of the Gammill Statler Stitcher along the way, I have finished this blue hexagon table runner for the round table that I have got at home. I used 1 1/2 inch size hexagon, pieced the hexagons and appliqued the finished piece on the background fabric by hand. It was a good chance for me to have more practice on custom quilting, so I custom quilted it on my wonderful Gammill Statler Stitcher. The swirl pattern named 'cinnamonroll L107' was by Laurie Thomas. I also experimented with using Creative Studio to divide the pattern (for the little daisy in the centre), and to create a scallop edge, a few tips that I learnt from Karin while visiting her in Stange, Norway. It worked out really well. Thanks, Karin. :-) Although I was managing fine, I also learnt that shallower curves would be easier when it comes to doing the binding....something to keep in mind for the next scallop edge.!! Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable task, overall, during a restful weekend.

My lovely Round Table Runner, by chance

Earlier this year, I visited a local patchwork shop, just to buy some cottons. At a glance, the decision was made, and before I realised, I was, sort of, a proud owner of this bright and colourful fabric panel with six different fun designs of flowers and a few leaves printed on it. But, I didn't actually know what I wanted to do with the fabric panel.!! After I got home, I put it on the floor. I looked at it, walked around it, and was wondering how I was going to be able to sew all the perfect 6 circles. One morning, I got out the biggest ceramic bowl we have got in the kitchen. At a moment's thought, I used it to draw a hexagon shape template for cutting out the six flowers. Then, it took quite a while to work out how I would go about sewing these big hexagons and finishing them off. I ended up using my wonderful Gammill Statler Stitcher to quilt the hexagons and did the rest of the sewing by hand. By adding one more hexagon in the middle, I was able to sew all the seven hexagons together to form a round table runner. It looks lovely on the round table and has brightened up our guest room at home.