Quilted Table Runner, Nearly Done!

The closer I'm getting to finishing this, the more I like it.  I was really worried there wouldn't be enough contrast in the grey blocks but it looks fine.  Last night, after some drama with one of our indoor cats getting let out by mistake and a subsequent successful retrieval at about 11pm, I wound down by sewing the blocks together!  Said cat was found crying pitifully between the wall of the built in bbq and the fence and was very happy to get safely back indoors!  

This morning I pin basted after finding I did actually have enough of the wood grain fabric mentioned here.  Yay!  Like most quilters I talk to or read about, basting is my least favorite part of the process.   At least this was just a small project!

And the reward for basting, is the actual quilting.  I love the look of hand quilting and also enjoy the process but for something that will get thrown in the washer and dryer often, I think machine quilting is the way to go.  I'm a straight line quilting girl.  I love the look.  As you can see I use my walking foot for piecing and quilting, using the edge of the foot to line up the next line of stitches.  I always switch needles at this point to a sturdier needle that can handle the thickness of the seams and I lengthen the stitch to 3.  As you can see, because these blocks are improvised, there is nothing to line the stitching up with which makes it really important to get the first line right (I started in the center and then worked out).

Next will be the binding.  I think I may go with an orange binding, I'll have to see what I have because I'm trying to just use fabrics from my stash.