Last year, oh that sounds so LONG ago, I finally got something finished in my sewing room. I made two Smitten with Mittens Table Runners. One for my parents and the other for my sister and her family. I shipped them off to their respective homes in December so they could be enjoyed during the holiday season.

I started working on these table runners back in September. The mittens appliqué are from Erin Russek. You can read the original post, which includes the various links to Erin’s free pattern and tutorials, here: I’m Smitten with Erin’s Mittens.

This was my first time using Aurifil’s 12wt cotton thread for the blanket stitch. I used a 50wt thread in the bobbin, a size 14 top stitch needle and lowered my tension to 2. It worked like a dream. Love the depth and texture it added to the mittens. I’ll definitely be using this thread again when I want some definition to my appliqué projects.

I wanted the table runners a little longer, so I added 1/2″ finished yellow sashing and used up the leftover charm pieces to add side borders. The red border finished at 1″ and the green border at 2″. The table runners finished at 40″x16″.

I stitched in the ditch around the blocks and all sashings. I did a small stipple in the blocks around the appliqué pieces. For the red border, since it was already stiched in the ditch, I just did a straight line down the middle. For the outer border, I marked where the binding would be attached then evenly spaced out lines to form the diamond shape. I did a simple crisscross design in the coloured sashing edge pieces.

Close up quilting of one of the blocks:

You might recognize the fabrics and colour scheme from the Christmas Ornaments wall hanging I did. This one I kept for myself, as it fits the round table in my kitchen perfectly. I suppose I should pack it away with the Christmas stuff and make something new for my table.

P.S. I’m linking this post up with Pat Sloan’s Show me your stuff post. So many lovely projects to look at!

Linking up here too: WIP Wednesday.

This month, Shruti is doing an ABC’s of Quilting series on her blog. She’s invited guests to help her out. Check out the various subjects that will be covered here.

My post is a Blogland Tour of 10 of my favourite modern bloggers. I have to admit, it was not easy to pick just 10. I could easily have picked 20.

Head over to read my post and see who I chose: Blogland Tour: 10 Favourite Modern Bloggers.

Share your favourite bloggers in the comments below. I cleaned out my RSS reader earlier this week, so now I have room to add a few blogs.

We’re back for year 3 of our weekly themed quilt contests. This week is for the Celebrate Christmas Quilt-Along blocks.

If you made blocks from the quilt-along, take a photo and enter this week’s contest. Your project does not need to be completed. This week’s contest is really just about sharing what you made for the quilt-along. If you only completed one block, that’s fine, take a photo, and share! One submission per person, please. Designers: you are welcome to enter too, but only if you completed other blocks in addition to the one that you designed.

I don’t have a sponsor for this week’s contest; however, I will be giving each quilter that submits their photos both copies of the Quilter’s Cookbooks.

We’ll be back next Monday with our regular contest. The theme will be New Beginnings. It’s up to each individual to interpret that theme as they wish. It’ll be an open-ended contest.

Enter This Week’s Contest

Get your cameras out! To enter the weekly contest submit your quilt photo by Thursday evening (EST). Voting will start on Friday and last until Sunday night.

Sponsor a weekly contest: Sponsorship opportunities are available for 2012. Want to sponsor a weekly contest? – find out how here.

Blog It

Please share the logo below on your own blog. The more contestants, the more exciting the contests!