Modern Christmas Table Runner swap package - done!

It's a lovely feeling, having your swap package done. Finished in perfect time, and feeling pretty happy with it too. It's always when I'm packing my package up to post off that I remember that I am going to get a package in return from a secret partner...I know that we all comment in the Flickr group and are watching each other's creations but somehow, it never seems real that one of them might be coming to me until I have upheld my part of the bargain!

So, without further ado, here it is, my little Christmas swap package for my secret partner.

I got the quilting finished up after putting the backing on. The long strip is from the fabric I bought for Emily's Christmas charm swap - a happy accident that this fell out of my sewing basket when I was trying to figure out what to do for the back as I had forgotten I had it. The blue fabric is also a Christmas fabric and I think they are good together.

I auditioned a few different fabrics for the binding and did wonder about my red choice as it really brings the red up in the runner. But I hope my partner likes it!

So here it is in all its finished glory - and thank you to everyone for all the lovely comments on in during the making of it. I really like the combination of handquilting and dense machine quilting in the negative space and I hope that my partner does too.

I know some people have asked for a tute for this one, but, honestly, the triangles were an experimental kind of process and I didn't find them easy. With everything going on at the moment in the run up to Christmas, I just don't have the time or the patience to figure them all out again. Nor could I put my family through a 2nd bout of the swearing that accompanied them!! But I will try and do a tute in the New Year for it, as I think it would work really well in non- seasonal fabrics too.

Once I finished hand sewing the binding on last night (yes, handsewing my binding, you read that right, I always handsew for swaps even though I usually machine my quilts) my thoughts turned to my ornament. I had pinned about 20 different inspiration ideas on my Christmas Pinterest board and the one in the top left corner really appealed to me - particularly as it tied in with the trees on the runner.

                                                                       Source: megatropolis.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest

So, I had a little fun running it up. I added some stars at the tops of the trees, and handstitched them down with perle cotton rather than doing it with the machine. I think its pretty and must do a couple for the house here before Christmas - I can see a row of them hanging on my wall! 

I also made my partner a super simple little heart to hang on her tree - I have a few of these on my tree every year and just love them.

So, it is ready for the post office which unfortunately I don't think I will get to tomorrow as I have to travel for work and have to leave earlier than expected in the morning. But it will be there first thing Tuesday and from there it will be a mystery as to how long it takes to get to its destination!

I want to say a huge thanks to Susan who has been a fab and totally inspiring swap mama and has run a brilliant swap. She gathered a great and incredibly talented group of ladies so I really can't wait to see which of the fab runners arrives at my house.

And finally - thanks to everyone for the congratulations on reaching 1000 followers on Google Friend Connect, I'm totally thrilled!! I seem to have roughly the same again through Reader and other feeds. It's still quite amazing to me that so many people like to pop by and look at what I'm making and read my ramblings, but I just love that you do, and I adore when you're interested in chatting too :-) So, well, what else can I say other than I am organising a little giveaway to celebrate so stay tuned in the next couple of weeks!

Also, don't forget to pop by for my block tutorial on Wednesday for the 12 Days of Christmas Sampler QuiltAlong - even if you're not taking part I think it would make a nice little doll quilt type wall hanging or table topper and I promise - it's easy peasy and fun!!

Ok, so I'm linking up as always to some of my absolute favourite linky gatherings - {Sew} Modern Monday, Manic Monday and Fabric Tuesday. Go have a peek for some great inspiration! I'm also entering the runner in this month's Celebrate Colour pool: