Amy Walsh's "Get in Line" pattern

A few posts ago, I showed four tops in progress on my design wall.  I just finished one of these, a version of Amy Walsh's table runner pattern, "Get in Line," recently published in American Patchwork & Quilting, June 2012.  Amy's version was in silk, a range of blue and green solids--stunning.  My version is a gift for a nursing home resident, for her bedside table, so cotton was definitely in order.  The genius of Amy's pattern is that some of the strips have one fabric only, some two fabrics, and some three.  She suggests improvising size of the portions and placement of the one-piece strips, which I did, but the pattern also includes precise measurements for those who prefer that.  Amy's version used straight-line quilting; I decided to go with a simple (and easy) wavy line in each 1" strip. 

Added 5-21-12:  Here's a photo of Amy's from the magazine:

More patterns from Amy and others can be found at the pattern company she owns with Janine Burke, Blue Underground. 

If I had been making this for myself, I probably would have used a wider range of color, maybe using small bits of orange/rust.  But the friend I made this for really loves blue.  I brought a bunch of fabric scraps to the nursing home a month or so ago, and she chose the strips she liked.  All blue!  She let me sneak in the one fabric that has a little red in it also, but that was it.

I'm happy with how the runner looks in her room--definitely perks it up.

Here's a detail, showing the machine binding I did, with a zigzag stitch.  I've since done some trials with straight-stitching, and have found a method combining tips from a variety of sources that I think will work.  More on that in another post sometime.

Table runner-rectangular appliqué

I like to have handwork with me when I travel. I put together these simple blocks, playing with solids and scraps of batik. I intended to make a baby quilt, but I'm having too much pain in my hand from doing applique, so I called it quits and made a table runner (12 x 32"), which I'm quite happy with. I cut the batik rectangles by hand, and I like the way some sides are a little curvy, and angles are not necessarily 90 degrees. It's also a satisfying way to use up bits of fabric on hand. I'm going to try out some methods of machine applique, and perhaps do more of these blocks, but eliminating the hand sewing.

I tried out various fabrics for binding, and like this one that has both lavendar and gray in it; not a fabric that appears in the blocks, but it ties things together nicely. (Click on any of the photos for a larger view.)

When putting together the blocks, I just paid attention to the color of the solid background and the colors and shapes of the two rectangles on that particular block. Then, when putting together the table runner, I moved the blocks around until I found something pleasing. If I do this again, I think I would try laying out the solid blocks, and then laying out the rectangles on top. More work up front, but a more direct way to the composition.

Again, I did just the straight-line quilting, about 5/8" apart. Done!