I made the same table runner with fall colors and decided to practice with my decorative stitches. I quilted in the ditch with a straight stitch then used a contrasting thread in the light strips and used a leaf stitch.

Appreciate your response, GrammO - my runner is for a kitchen.......I've decided to go with SID and do an Apple applique in the square in the middle (the square in the middle is a light yellow with no design....bad choice of fabric but am learning!!!)

Learning quickly, it seems! Have fun with it!

If you are new to quilting you will love this board! lots of great people and great information on here. Everyone is willing to share tips and photos. I personally took the phrase 'quilt as desired' to mean 'send to long-arm quilter who knows what they're doing!' :-) I am fairly new here too and am completely addicted!

LOL - I am VERY new to quilting, and I agree, everyone here has been so helpful......

I have done that runner. I printed off a big star, cut my paper the same size as the center square and pinned it there then sewed through the paper following the star outline. I used a contrasting thread ended up with a quilted star outline in the center block. Stitch in the ditch for the remainder of the runner.
Trudy

Stitch in the ditch and a pretty FM pattern in the center.

thanks, all - great ideas for now and future runners....

.......boy am I liking it here!!!! everyone is so helpful and willing to share

Well it is FINALLY finished!!!

Thanks to everyone for their help and suggestions, especially Quilting D

Judy NH

You did a wonderful job!