red snowballs

I started making this table runner on Friday with the idea to use shades of just one colour.  The colour decided on was red, which was quite a good choice because there isn't much variation within the spectrum of shades of this hue! (unless you are going from orange through to purple).  

For this piece though I wanted RED red and luckily it worked out pretty well.  I was able to find lots of prints with different textures - bold and graphic through to fine detail and the contrasts are what I notice the most when I look at the finished runner.

I think this is the same way that redwork style embroidery works, red really is a colour that can stand alone.

I must be in a rouge frame of mind right now because these asters I brought home from the shops on Saturday are perfect to stand up on the runner.

The only thing tricky about asters is that they have pretty weak stems considering the hugeness of their heads and thus are prone to drooping (my neck hurts just looking at the poor things) and snapping.

I couldn't bear to throw away the poor little snapped off heads, they looked far too pretty to go live in the bin.  So I found this glass bowl which held the unusable remanants of a Christmas candle from last year, placed it in a plastic bowl of hot water for a few minutes and then managed to easily scrape out the residue wax.  After the bowl was filled with water, in popped the snapped off pretty heads to make a nifty little pond style/floaty flower table piece.

Table runner made from 4" squares, pieced into four patches and then made into snowball blocks*.  I stitched together two rows of six blocks to make the runner and then added a narrow 2" border.

Finished size of table runner - 45" x 17" 

*Edited to add - For each snowball block, I cut two 2 1/2" squares then cut each square on the diagonal to give two triangles.  Sew one triangle onto each corner.

Fabrics used are from Sherbet pips and little apples as well as Picnics & Fairgrounds and Katie Jump Rope by Denyse Schmidt, Bliss by Bonnie & Camille and some Kei Honeycomb Dots.

Binding is Sweater Check in Lollipop from Little Apples. 

Hmmm I think a few red cushions may be in order??

Comments

[cauchy09]

oh, my love for redwork is no secret. this is gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. and so sweet in your fabrics.

[Hildy]

It looks awesome! Can't wait to make my own table runner;-)
Hildy

[Libby]

Simply beautiful!! You have such a way with color and style! That is a darling runner!

[Sadie]

Love it :-) It is very pretty and the asters are a super match.

[elsa]

love those little dogs! and the runner is nice too.

[Amy]

Oh, it's very sweet! I like the idea of 4 patch snowballs.

[Jane]

Boy this really caught my eye! I love it,what a great way to showcase special fabrics!

[Mary on Lake Pulaski]

What a great table runner! I think I need to make one!

[courtney]

beautiful - I love the red! I also love the way you did a 4 square to make each snowball, so cool!

[Angela]

Nice! What a fun runner.

[Jocelyn]

Very pretty. And I like how all the fabric lines blend in so well together.

[Jeni]

Eeek, it's so cute! I love all the reds together, monochromatic projects are so fun! :)

[Flying Blind]

Simple and effective, the reds and the flowers.

[Nicky]

So cute Aneela! And I have now tracked down your red doggy print so I could although it is supposed to be going in my daughter's room! Perhaps it would make a cute cushion instead!

[BeezusComplex]

I love the asters in the bowl, almost as much as I love the table runner. I've been collecting red prints for a Dear Jane (well, I guess it's technically a "baby jane") quilt I want to make in much the same vein as this. I thought I had some of your red fabric with the little doggies on it, but if I do, I've put it somewhere special so I wouldn't use it for another project! I hate it when I put stuff away in a safe place and then can't find it. lol :)

[CJ]

I love this runner! I'v never made a snowball block but I know that I will be making some now. Can you tell me the size of the little white corner square so I have a clue how to proceed after making 4" squares into a four patch? That would be great. BTW - RED is my favorite color. ;)

[Bree]

Oh, I quite like that!

[Summer]

I love it! I especially love the trees and pups. It absolutely can stand on its own. I really cannot get enough of red. I am always attracted to it. Sadly, it is not a good color for me to wear!

[aneela]

Hi CJ,

I edited the post to give the size of the white triangles I used, as well as the size of the border and finished size of the runner.

Hope you have fun making one!

[Creative Design Handmade knitwear lovingly made for you!]

When, oh when, can we look to buy your new Little Apples?

Sheila

[aneela]

Hi Sheila,

Precuts (charm packs and so on) of Little apples are already now on sale in the US and Australia. Yardage will be available in September which is only a couple of weeks away now!

Precuts and yardage will be on sale in the UK from October as far as I know.

So not long now!

[Jennifer]

Very cute! I love red...

And that binding is one of my very favorites!

Jennifer :)

[Dianne]

Sweet and simple - great combination = awesome table runner!

[Christine]

I LOVE your tablerunner .. the red and white fabrics are perfect together.

[CJ]

THANK YOU!

[leslie]

my daughter picked little apples for her baby on the way! i have carte blanche to create her nursery. i will be using both pips and little apples with a few staples thrown in. everything from the curtains to the sheets will be pips and apples. i am starting today on the needlework while i wait on all my fabric to come in. can't wait to show you!

[sarah]

I love your table runner. I decided to make one for my MIL. I cut out all the fabric and can't figure out how to sew the triangle to the corner of the square.
feeling very silly and depresses