Quiltingboard Forums - Easy Table Runner

I made this for my friend Juline for her birthday. All together it took me about 6 hours...but should have taken much less!
First, I picked out red, white & blue fabrics from my stash & took them to quilt class Tuesday night so I could cut & sew the strips together. I figured that I could at least get all the blocks sewn during one class.
I started cutting, first the blue, then the red...then I picked up the white - and it was PINK! Well, I knew it wasn't a big piece, so I had grabbed 2 pieces of white so I would have enough. The 2nd piece was white, but it was yucky fabric! I don't know where it came from, but it almost seemed like an OLD soft pillowcase, cotton/poly blend. Oh, and the "pink" fabric - I think it used to be white, but had been with some red fabric that maybe got wet when my window leaked?
Fine, at least I got the blue & red strips cut. I know there wasn't any other white in the stash & decided that the cream wouldn't do, so now must go to JoAnn's after work on Wednesday. I found some nice white with red & blue stars - woohooo! - at JoAnn's, went home & cut it up too. I sewed all my strips together into red - white - blue sets, then cross cut them into 6.5" squares. Back to the machine, sew the first 2 together, grab the next 2 & realize that they are NOT square! ARGH!!! I had used my "Guidelines" ruler with the guide at 2.5" to cut all the strips, but must not have seated it against the fabric correctly. My seam allowances were OK, but the 3 strips together were only 6.25". Sigh. Trim all 24 blocks down to 6.25" squares. Back to the machine.
Got my 8 rows of 3 blocks together, take to ironing board to press & as I laid them out, they are not making the zig-zag pattern I want! I had sewn the last block on the even rows upside down. Where's that seam ripper??
Unsew, turn it around, resew, press....NOW it's lining up right!
Originally I had planned the runner to be 3 blocks by 7 blocks, but didn't count when I was making them & ended up with enough for 8 rows & since they were a bit smaller than planned, thought "What the heck, why not?"
I forgot about the thermalam batting & the backing weren't that long.
Luckily, I had enough width that I was able to piece both the batting & backing to fit.
Layered & pinned & back to the machine to quilt. I'm really getting in the groove, swirling & whirling away! I'm about 3/4ths done & notice that the backing folded under & was caught in the quilting - about 12" worth, 3" wide!
Where's the seam ripper?
Got that all straightened up & realized that the 11 pm news is on. No way should I attempt to cut the binding at this stage - I value my fingers way too much for that!
Did I say that Juline's b'day was Thursday? Decided to take my 2 choices for the binding with me & let her decide which one she would like.
Gave it to her, then brought it home again last night. Cut & pieced the binding, having decided to do it all by machine. Start sewing it on, go about 8" & think "Crud! I wanted to start this on the BACK, not the front!"
WHERE IS THAT SEAM RIPPER???
But I did finish it last night & gave it back to her this morning! Whew! I sure am glad she really likes it!!

Juline & her table runner

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wild free motion quilting!

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