Other posts on this project: Table Runner Pt. 1, Table Runner Pt. 2, Table Runner Pt. 3, Table Runner Pt. 4, Table Runner Pt. 5.

The quilting is done! Now I have to square it up and bind it. I used a blueish/almost teal colored Gutermann thread for the quilting, and I’m happy with it. I almost quilted with orange thread, but there’s already a great deal of orange in this, and I wanted to bring out the blue/green more.

What I’m most excited about was how much better the quilting is on this runner compared to the Christmas Runner. I got impatient the first time and really didn’t take the time to properly sandwich and pin it. This time I used a much thinner batting; I had some extra thick batting I used for the Christmas Runner, and it was just impossible to keep the quilting neat and nice. Plus I was using my old sewing machine and I didn’t have a walking foot. All of these problems-patience, thickness, equipment-have been fixed this time, and it really looks great.

Here are the two runners side-by-side on the back. The Christmas Runner on the right is all bunched over itself and looks really messy. The front of that one looks fine, but the back is a mess. The new runner is on the left, and I really think it came out wonderfully. So again, for the bazillionth time I’m grateful to my darling mother for giving me this new machine for my 30th back in February. It’s awesome, and I’m really happy with this.

Now I’m just deciding whether to use solid color, store-bought bias tape for the binding or if I’ll use one of the patterned fabrics and make my own binding. Store bought is so much easier when I’ve reached the final stretch of a project and get lazy to finish it. Patterned would look very cool. So we’ll see what wins, coolness or laziness. I’m afraid to put money on that one….