Yesterday I pieced eight lovely leaf blocks using Banyan Batiks Alilah and today I’ll work on the blocks that create the beautiful background and then quilt with a simple all over grid pattern.
Banyan Batiks Alilah make this table runner simply stunning! And it isn’t finished yet!
I chose to lay the blocks out in this pattern. You may arrange them as you choose as long as it ends up two squares by four squares.
The unfinished size of your table runner should be 18½” x 36½”.
This is the block arrangement I used in my table runner.
When the top is complete, the next step is to create the quilt sandwich.
Begin by ironing the background piece. It should ideally measure at least 22″ x 40″.
Next, lay out the backing on a clean surface, wrong side up.
Add your batting and smooth in place.
Finally, add the pieced quilt top. You may choose to add a few pins to keep things in place when you take it to the machine to quilt.
This picture shows the table runner sandwiched and quilted but untrimmed in preparation for the moose applique.
For this project, I chose a heavier weight white cotton thread for the quilting and picked a longer stitch. I wanted a simple, rustic look to the table runner to match my moose.
You can change the look of your table runner quite a bit simply by changing the thread and stitch you use to quilt. Be creative and have fun!
Begin the quilting lines by stitching lengthwise along the center seam and continue out following the seam lines. Then turn the quilt and repeat the quilting lines along the shorter length of the table runner.
Finally, you can add a center quilting line between the seam lines to end up with a simple all over grid pattern as shown below.
You will find that the moose applique will be easier to add when you have already quilted the background.
Resist trimming the quilt top until after you add and stitch the applique!
Close up of grid quilting… I don’t worry too much about getting my stitch line in the ditch, so long as it is straight!
Join me tomorrow as we applique our moose head and antlers using Banyan Batiks Alilah and finish the applique with a hand-look quilting stitch, done by machine!
This is part 3 of 5 in this series.
Go back to part 2: Making the leaf quilt block for the Magical Moose Crossing table runner
Go to part 4: Making a moose applique realistic using Banyan Batiks Alilah!
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