Last Minute Christmas QAL - a finish

I decided to "go for a finish" using all those paper pieced Christmas tree blocks I stitched (using one of Julianna's darling patterns) to have a completed project in time to enter her contest.

 

Talk about a last minute dash to finish!  Good thing I had a quiet day at home for turning those blocks into a flimsy by this afternoon.  Nothing like a deadline to push me to finish.  I debated endlessly about what project to make with these blocks, not due to a lack of ideas - but rather because I had several!

My final block layout for the table runner.

Ultimately, I decided to put them together to make a table runner to fit our antique buffet, knowing it will get lots of use and add cheer to our décor during the winter months.

Just before sunset, I took my latest finish outside for a photo session on the fresh fallen snow.

I shared my palette choice for these blocks in this post, with the idea that these colours would work beyond Christmas.  It meant that lots of colours were mixed together and I knew I needed a simple finish to tie it all together.  I opted for a two fabric binding, pairing a striped fabric (in all the tree colours) for accent, with the grey fabric I used as the block background.  I love the results! (I used this style of binding for my Oh, Joy! Patchwork Pillow).

Two fabric binding adds just a hint of accent and ties in the various colours that were used for the paper pieced trees.

Bright trees and a patterned background fabric needed only the simplest quilting, in my opinion.  I used my walking foot to free hand quilt random wavy lines the length of the runner. 

The runner finishes at 15.75" x 57" -  a custom fit for our antique buffet, which I accomplished by trimming down the blocks a bit.  I thought staggering the five blocks worked rather nicely for the finished layout but it's a tricky thing to photograph  when it's laying full length. ;o)

 Outdoor shot (above) and indoors (below). 

 

 

I want to thank Julianna for all the beautiful paper piecing blocks she designed and shared for free.  I still have plans for more projects to make from them and more blocks I want to try.  It has been a fun month of paper piecing!  

    I'm linking up my finish for Julianna's Last Minute Christmas Sampler QAL along with all the other participants (here) and with Amanda Jean's - Finish it up Friday!