Sometimes Crafter

Finally!  It’s time to release the Freezing Rain Table Runner pattern.  I originally designed this to be a quilt, in different colors than you see here.  The original quilt design is called Liquid Sunshine and I hope to get that completed after the quilt pattern that is coming up next.  Lupin at Modern Domestic asked if we could turn the idea into a table runner for the holidays and specifically asked for these colors as kind of a modern, winter theme.  As it turns out, they worked together beautifully, even with my dislike of burgundy. 

I designed this table runner for a class of students that had the concept of quilting down, but wanted to learn how to foundation paper piece.  The idea behind the “square in a square” is to give an easy introduction with lots of repetition, but I wanted to give it just a little bit more with the squares turned at angles.  The pattern also repeats the same blocks at different sizes so that, again, there is lots of repetition to really help the sewer get the concept down. 

The pattern has step-by-step instructions to guide the beginner through the whole process.  Think of it as a mini-class.  It’s not just a “how to foundation paper piece” but more of a how to make this pattern specifically.  The techniques you learn here will help you to approach different foundation paper piece projects in the future.  For the pattern I suggest the use of a an Add-A-Quarter ruler which is been my friend in foundation paper piecing for a few years now.  There is a great video here that shows exactly how to use the ruler, and it is the same technique I guide you through in the pattern for making the blocks. 

Don’t have an Add-A-Quarter ruler?  No problem, I also have a section dedicated to how to use your regular ruler in the same manner, to achieve the same result, but I really do recommend this ruler.  They don’t cost very much, and make a world of difference.

I’m all about conservation in fabric usage, as well as the speediest route to an end product, and that’s exactly what this pattern will guide you through and teach you for future foundation paper pieced projects.  Because there will be some of you that are interested in the pattern without the basics of foundation paper piecing, I’m also offering the pattern with just the foundation blocks for printing, as well as the instructions for assembling the table runner top, at a reduced price.  In this second option you will need to know the fundamentals behind foundation paper piecing, as I don’t walk you through any of that.

The quilting on this piece was very simple, but had high impact.  I did simple straight line quilting using various colors of thread that matched the fabrics in my top.  I pinned my piece with safety pins and marked my center down the length of the piece with a Hera marker.  I quilted one color at a time, quilting the length of the piece first and then with width, always quilting down the center first and then moving out to the edges.  I added on the arm attachment to my walking foot to help me keep my lines straight as I stitched.  I just eyed where I was going next with each line, randomly spacing them.  Sometimes close together, sometimes further apart.  Always working with one color at a time (meaning, I didn’t stitch a pink line and then switch thread and stitch a green line – I did all my pink quilting before moving on to the next color). 

Purchase the PDF pattern here.