A Soulmate Blooms Table Runner : :

Hi friends! I can't believe last week flew by without a single blog post from me. Beginning on New Years Eve we've been taking turns having the flu in our home, and so the first three weeks of January are a bit of a blur for me. Last week was the first that I was able to make it to my studio for several consecutive days. I spent my time organizing, sewing and working on a new Love Story display. It was so nice! Once my Love Story LookBook was finished, AGF sent the samples I had made from strike offs and my advanced yardage. Since Love Story is one of the collections that I didn't show at International Quilt Market, I thought it would be fun to create a little "booth" display on my own, now that I have the space. I'll be sharing how it's coming together very soon, but first today I want to share one of the last projects I made for the LookBook -- my Soulmate Blooms table runner!



Because I LOVE patchwork, it's instinctual for me to create nearly everything I make using a mixture of prints and colors. But, more and more I've been admiring and sharing on my Instagram the things made with my fabrics that are more simple, showcasing just one or two prints. For this table runner I pulled two of the Love Story prints that I'd most like to see on our dining room table, allowing the pale peachy-pink Soulmate Blooms print to be the star, and I love how it turned out!

photo credit: Alexis Wright || My Sweet Sunshine

Table runners like this one, that are simple, quick and that can be made in any size, are so rewarding to make! I simply cut a piece of cotton batting measuring about 14" x 40" and spray basted that to my backing fabric. I use my Quick Quilt As You Go method for just about everything these days, including this project. I cut a piece of my Soulmate Bloom measuring 9" 30", centered and spray basted the fabric to my cotton batting and quilted it from top to bottom with narrow, long stitches using a pretty coral Aurifil 50 wt.



Next I framed the quilted Soulmate Blooms with AGF's denim in my new favorite Afternoon Sail colorway, added a border of Love Story Daring Tribal Sunset and finished with Darling Echoes Vert binding, a pretty green to make those florals pop!

This runner is so pretty for February decorating, a perfect setting for a beautiful bouquet of Valentine's Day flowers!



xo Maureen

A Finally Finished Table Runner : :

One of my Summer sewing goals is to complete as many of my unfinished projects as I can. I currently have more than I ever have and require two baskets now to hold the neatly folded quilt blocks, pillow pieces waiting to be backed and bound, and even a few quilt tops that are close to being done. Back when I was preparing for my Crafty class, Quick Quilt As You Go where I share my technique by teaching five fun projects including patterns for placemats, a table runner, pillow, and two quilts, I had to make lots of "step-outs" for each of these projects! Step-outs are simply pieces of a project at different stages of construction. When writing a pattern or tutorial to share on a blog, I just make sure to take photos along the way to give a view of each stage & step. When filming my class with Craftsy, I had to make a separate piece for each of these different stages to show on camera. I learned right away that I needed more of these than you might think, and as a result my unfinished projects are overflowing!



One of my favorite Quick Quilt As You class projects is my Ombré Table Runner, a stacked strip table runner in a favorite color scheme of mine with a pretty effect where the colors shade into one another, graduating from dark to light.



I had to make one completely finished runner, plus step-outs that included one almost finished without trimming and binding, one halfway complete, and of course, all the pieces cut and ready to show my how-to on camera. It was a lot of fun, but a lot of work, and since I hate to waste anything, these busy Summer days that don't leave much time for finishing big sewing projects are giving me just enough time to enjoy some smaller project finishes!





Most of the completely finished class projects I already gave as gifts to family over the holidays, so as I finish up these new ones, I'll be adding them to my Etsy Shop! It feels good to see my UFO basket contents dwindle a little, like I'm actually accomplishing something! How about you, what are you working on these days?

♡ Maureen

A Chevron Table Runner : :

This week is my stop on my friend Heidi Staples' tour for her brand new book, Sew Organized for the Busy Girl! Heidi's book is a wonderful how-to for fitting sewing into our busy lifestyles, including practical tips that will help you stay organized and excited about finding the "you" time we all need to live happy, creative lives! This book includes 23 beautiful projects, ranging from handcrafted quilts to home decor, children's gifts, and functional storage pieces. Sew Organized includes an arsenal of time-saving tips and easy-to-implement advice, as well, you'll even find a tip from me within it's pages!



After a quick scan through of each Sew Organized project, I decided to make Heidi's Chevron Table Runner from her Chevron Table Set project. I've never made a runner before, so this was perfect!



I love Heidi's use of flying geese for this pattern, their one of my favorite things to make! With her clear instructions I felt comfortable adapting the measurements to better fit our dining table. Inspired by the Ombré color technique of the Runner Heidi shares in her book, I began making my large geese with fabrics in my most favorite color palette, arranging them to the same effect!





I love how these colors so perfectly match the roses I bought this past weekend!



After adding my border fabrics and attaching my runner backing by stitching in the ditch with yellow Aurifil, I finished with my Folk Plaid binding. I love how this shade of denim blue coordinates so well with these pretty color!







Once my Chevron Table Runner was finished I first tried it out on our dining table. The finished 12" x 80" size that I made works perfectly! I decided right away to make another, this time using the exact measurements shared in the book, to have on our kitchen island!



Next I moved the runner to our mantel and I love it just as much!





Looks like I'll be making two more!

Thank you so much stopping by today! I hope my project inspires you to check out Heidi's lovely book! Congratulations, Heidi, thank you for inspiring me and giving me this chance to try something new!

♡ Maureen

Tuesday Inspiration : :

Black + Orange + Halloween

Photos via

* Halloween Print * Haunted House Cake * Pumpkin & Owl * Felt Plushies * Spider Cake 

* Tree Pumpkins Bookshelf * Mice On Stairs * Vampire Pumpkins * Halloween Bunting 

* Cookies * Leaves Print * Plates On Wall * Orange & Black Cake *

or Pinterest

Remember our tablecloth from last week that mysteriously looked like it had been chewed upon while packed away in the garage? Well, it's come a loooong way since then. Literally. Most of the damage was done to the outer black and white check gingham border, with almost all of the adorable pumpkin appliques still in perfect condition. After a good, couple of washings, I cut each applique out and salvaged what solid black material I could and got to work.



I begin piecing using those appliques, coordinating thread, my new Riley Blake Halloween Fabrics, and a very festive bundle of gorgeous orange and blacks.



I knew I wanted this runner to be on the large side, wide and long. I chose not to use batting because of the size. I didn't want it to look like an awkwardly shaped quilt sitting on our dinner table.

Soon I was finished and faced with my first dilemma -- how do you photograph projects this huge, in action? It's not easy!



These are my attempts at full shots. eek! If you notice all the marking on my table you'll understand the need for it to be this large. I have a lot of things to hide on this really old, very used table of ours!



Do you see why I just had to save it, aren't these appliques sweet! They really are my favorite part. Plus, the original tablecloth had been with us for many Halloweens and reminds me so much of when our boys were just little things. We had a Halloween Party (or several) every year.



And here you see my second dilemma. Lily hair. I've shared many times how she loves to lay upon my sewn things. Well, white long cat hair, on black fabric, on our dinner table, has me quite frazzled and annoyed and our lint rollers being refilled daily. Grrrrr!



Does she pick the cute kitty pumpkin applique? Nope.



Quite fittingly she has chosen the little devil pumpkin applique to be her spot of choice. Of course! I am kinda, sorta wishing I would have just made a quilt now instead.  

How many days until Halloween?



I'm really not sure if me and this table runner will make it?! As for Lily? Yup, she's safe! Lucky for her, she does ridiculously adorable things like sleep outside my sewing room door like this.

Maybe I can convince her that she makes a much better doorstop than a centerpiece, hmn?


I plan to enter this new Halloween table runner in the Home Decor category of Celebrate Color and to make a new, matching bunting with the fabric scraps and remaining applique pieces.

How about you? Are you doing any Halloween sewing these days?

Distracted : :

Today, I had meant to share the beautiful day we spent together this past Monday, traveling to Pumpkinville, Ellicottville, and then onto Allegany State Park. The weather was gorgeous and the trees were full of the most spectacular colored leaves.

But, then last night I started a new project and became consumed immediately...







With today being my husband Kevin's birthday, tomorrow a new giveaway, and me completely distracted by yet another project, I just didn't ever find the time to share those pictures as planned. If you care to have a look at our Fall day of exploring, the pictures are here. I'll have a new, very large, finished Halloween sewing project to share very soon! That is, unless I find myself distracted by something new...