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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

I need some help Flirting!

I thought that would get your attention.

No, I didn't mean that kind of flirting.

I am participating in a Flickr swap with a group called FLiRTS.  It stands for Fabulous Little Random Thing Swap.  Each participant got to pick a difficulty level - easy, medium, or hard - and pick 5 items that they would like to have made for them.  They were then paired with a secret partner who is to make one of the 5 things.

Birds on a Vine Runner idea
 
I've been working on my partner's random little thing.  It is going to be a table runner, for which she gave very specific dimensions.

Gotta love hand work

I've been hand working this puppy since last Thursday.  I took it on our outing to visit my college boy.  (His team was playing 2 hours south of us.  We drove 2 hours down; sat and watched 6 hours of baseball; visited for about 20 minutes; then drove 2 hours back.  Those 20 minutes and 2 hugs were worth the rest!!)


Birds on a Vine
 
 
I spent yesterday appliqueing on the birds and embroidering stems.
  

birds on a Vine


Today I am trying to get the borders on...but am having a little difficulty.

 
Birds on a Vine


All the while I was doing the hand work I was thinking that this fabric would look fabulous.  I even made a special trip this morning to pick up the yardage I needed.  Then I got out my rulers and did a little arithmetic.  Turns out, if I use this wonderful stripe it will make the runner just enough bigger than it's intended perch to be really annoying.  It wouldn't hang over, nor would it stay centered on the table.  (Grrrr)

So, I auditioned two other options.

Birds on a Vine

This option above looks more like my original plan....it would come out being perfectly shaped...but I think it is a tad boring....especially after the stunning leafy stripe.

 
Birds on a Vine
 
 
Idea number 2 is more colorful.  I think if I do this one I will add a skinny dark border between the center and the colorful stripe and then use the same dark fabric for the binding.
 
 
Soooo, what do you think?  Which border should I do?  

14 comments:

Kelsey said...

Well they're all great but I really like the more colorful option! It goes nicely with the bright leaves and I love bright :)

Patti said...

How annoying that your original idea wouldn't work, Cindy. It would look so great too. But, onward you go! I also really like the colourful second look. The runner is beautiful, by the way! What a cool swap!

Canadian Abroad said...

I'm afraid I'm the opposite of the other two, I like the neutral. I like the way your leaves and birds stand out so well.

Lynne said...

I'd go for the colourful option with the skinny dark border!

My sister was away from home for over three weeks, took her annual leave, travelled over 1,000 miles, stayed for ten days at the Championships and her son only pitched three times! Oh the things we do!

CJ said...

Argh...the plans that don't work out. Poo! I would go with the colorful border as well. BTW - your trip was SO worth it for the 2 hugs and 20 minutes. :) (mom of a college boy)

Katie said...

Cindy, I love this design! The two options are a toss up for me... personally, I would take your original one and deal with the slight annoyance. It's just too perfectly paired.

Nancy said...

I love your design with the colorful border.

Newbie Jen said...

What if you took your original fabric and cut it 1/4 from the stem so it ends up being your seem line and you have half leaves all the way around the runner?

annerd said...

I was just thinking the same as Newbie Jen! You could add a small inner border to make it fit, if it gets too small.

Be careful if you go for a smaller inner border in either option: I often find that using the same fabric for the smaller inner border and the binding is not a good match. When you look at the project, you see sections more than a "harmonic" project. (Sorry for my bad English).

Deb@asimplelifequilts said...

This is so pretty! What a dilemma... can't wait to see what you do as I share the other comments above quite equally and can't decide. The colorful border is pretty... but does it take away from the fantastic details in the middle a but. Also like Newbie Jen's idea a lot if you can make that work.

Dolly said...

I'm liking the more neutral border, thinking that it almost appears to be floating 'above' your applique panel, which looks like it is inset into a table top !

kathy said...

I love option #1, it brings my eyes right to the birds & it is adorable. Personally I think the stripes over kill. (just using it as a saying) I love it.
kathy

Benta AtSLIKstitches said...

I love the stripes but think a narrow border of them would be better, but can you not use the original leaf fabric but use half of it, so the centre stalk and the leaves on one side only?

Janine @ Rainbow Hare said...


This is a wonderful runner. I'll look forward to seeing what you choose :)