Ticker Tape Holiday Table Runner

As promised, I'm back to show you the little scrappy table topper I made a couple weeks ago.  This one started out as a Christmas table topper.  However, when I put it on the table with some fall flowers, I really liked the way the yellows, greens, and reds worked with the autumn color palette as well.  So there it stays for now.  I may use it at Christmas or I may not.  Probably the yellow binding is what makes me like it so much for fall.

This one is ridiculously simple, albeit a tad time-consuming.  The idea was originated by Amanda Jean over at Crazy Mom Quilts.  She spells it out in her book Sunday Morning Quilts, which I happen to have and adore.  This is so easy, though, I think I can just tell you how to do it right here.

You start by layering and spray basting the backing, batting, and white face fabric together.  Then you just grab all your littlest squares and rectangles in your choice of colors from your scrap bin.  I went with red, yellow and gold, plus green.  You stitch these down, one at a time, through all the layers.  It's almost like putting a puzzle together.  Just find a piece that fits the next space, and don't worry whether it looks perfect or not.  When you finish sewing on the last little scrap, your quilting is done as well!

I admit that the wonkiness of it adds to the charm.  However, the raw edges are a stretch for me.  Being an old-school seamstress (emphasis there on old), I like to finish all my edges to prevent raveling.    These little pieces are going to fray just a bit and I know it.  It's allowed.  I'm dealing with it.

Every time I look at it, I like it more.  It reminds me of a little stained glass window.  And it was essentially free, which just makes me exceedingly happy.

Love,

Funnel Cakes and Clover Patch Quilt

What a fun time we had in Columbia today at Riverbanks Zoo with most of our family and some friends!  Hannah was so excited to find a funnel cake stand near the entrance.  Brad was sweet enough to spring the big bucks and buy her one.  After Maggie tasted Hannah's, she really wanted one too.  Actually, all the children did.  I contemplated buying one for them to share.   But after further thought,  I decided we'd just try to make some when we got home.

We used this recipe which turned out really well.  I halved it because it looked like it was going to make a lot.  Even with halving it, we still had more than enough!  Here is Maggie enjoying the first one--hot out of the fat!

No, I didn't photograph the frying process.  I hate working with hot oil and I didn't need the distraction of the camera in my way.  But all I did was mix up the batter in a bowl and pour it into a quart sized zip-lock bag.  I heated a couple inches of oil in my smallest stainless pot.  Then I snipped off the corner of the bag and drizzled the batter into the hot oil.  It fried on one side and floated to the surface.  Then I flipped it over and fried it on the other side a couple minutes.  A liberal sprinkling of powdered sugar finished it off perfectly.  I think Caleb's exact description was, "Amazing!"

On the quilting front, I have quite a lot going on.  Really you don't want to know how many quilts I have in progress.  It's pretty crazy, actually.  Below is a Clover Patch quilt I'm working on.   This is one I started just for fun since I love to applique by hand.  It's going to have that wide green border all around the outside.   There will be a vine and some flowers appliqued around that border.  My plan is to get this ready to take to the beach with me next week.  I always love to have some handwork I can sit and stitch when I'm away from my sewing machine.

Hannah, I'm going to try to post more, now that I know how much you enjoy my silly little blog.  Next I want to show you how I made a very simple table topper using the tiniest fabric scraps.

Love,