St. Patrick's Day Runner

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF MARCH! 

Last month I made a Valentine's Day Table Runner with strips that was super easy.  I thought I would do the same for this months runner but I was encouraged at my first sew in to try new things so I thought I would try a wonky one this time around.    I normally like things to match up so this was totally new for me.  When I showed my husband some of the squares I made at the sew in he said "I don't think I can handle that.  The lines don't match up."  :)  Well... To be honest I wasn't sure I was going to like it either but I decided it's only going to be on the table for one month so I was going for it.  Plus there is usually so many papers on the table he won't see it anyway! :)  

Here is how I made my St. Patrick's Day table runner.  


I started with 16 different pieces of fabric.  I only bought a 1/4 yard of each, except for the fabric I also used for the binding.  I bought a 1/2 yard of that.  I decided on greens, orange, and white to match Ireland's flag, and added some black.  I figured out my runner would be 18" wide and 54" long.  That meant I needed 12, 9" blocks.  Each 9" block is made up of 4, 4 1/2" blocks.  That meant that each of my blocks had to be 5" square.  I took a piece of paper and cut it to a 5" square to use as a visual.


1.  I cut strips of fabric all different sizes.  The laid them out so that the greens weren't next to each other and sewed the strips together. 

 2.  Using my paper pattern I laid it on top of my strips and using my plastic ruler and rotary knife I cut out my squares. 

This picture shows that I was able to get three squares out of one set of strips.  Then I had the 'top' and the 'bottom' sections.  I then took another piece of fabric, placing it between them and made new squares so I wasn't wasting a lot of fabric.

I kept doing that until I had all my squares.  I made 6 squares from each pattern and then I made 12 out of one set that I thought looked like the flag and placed one of each of those squares in each of the 12 blocks.

 3.  I took all my squares and laid them out on a table to decide how I wanted the layout.  I tried to spread out each different pattern and not have them too close to each other.   Then I sewed them together.  

                                
 4.  Once the top was sewn together I used spray adhesive and put the batting and backing together.  This time I also used safety pins to keep it together as I stitched the top.  Which will come back to haunt you if you don't remember to take them out BEFORE you place the paper over them....

  5.  I decided I was going to do free motion shamrocks so I found a shamrock I liked on google images.   I played around with it in pages to get it to the size and placing that I needed and printed it out.  THEN I took plain paper and with the copy on top sewed through the layers of paper on my machine, minus thread.  I did 6 at a time.  I placed the paper on the quilt, pinned it in each corner and then stitched right through the paper.  After I was done I just tore the paper away.  This is BRILLIANT.  Thank you Lisa!

A close up of my stitching.  I am just learning so don't look too closely.

Can I tell you that I just LOVE this one!!!  I think I will be sad to see it go when the month is over.  I guess I need to start thinking about April's...

Blessings!