Gray Spiral Table Runner

I have made this pattern for a Spicy Spiral Table Runner several times before. It takes eight fat quarters and a wedge ruler, either 9° or 10°. In my first experience per my 11/4/2011 post (which was – yikes –  ten years ago) not only did I goof and need to add a ninth fat quarter, but "I bought the pattern twice and the ruler three times with trips to two quilt stores and a quilt festival." This time went much more smoothly. My daughter had just hung new dining room curtains and asked that I make her one of these spiral runners in shades of gray. These are the eight fat quarters I selected from my stash and cut each into four strips of the appropriate width per the pattern.

Since there is a range of lights to darks, I chose a variegated thread in grays. I know the thread does not really show in piecing but I still often do try to match. I then pieced together my strips in the dictated color/width order, until I had two light and two dark strata. 

I then cut these strata into wedges using a 10° ruler.  Sewing the wedges together, two at a time, then four at a time gradually formed one light and one dark half-spiral.

Joining the light and dark halves formed a full spiral. Those jagged edges would be trimmed off later to form a smooth curve.

Instead of binding, I stacked three layers in this order  – batting on the bottom, backing right side up, and pieced top right side down – pinned them together, and cut out the spiral shape. I splurged a few years ago at the 2017 Houston Quilt Festival and bought Handi Batting Scissors by HandiQuilter. They have a 5-inch straight-edge cutting blade and ergonomically designed handle for ease in cutting. When you have a tool you need to use it, right? These specialty scissors are offset enough that they cut around that unusual shape like a dream. I use them for every project that requires batting.

After sewing these three layers together I turned them right side out, pressed, and let the assembly mellow for a few days while I waited to be inspired by a stitching pattern for the quilting. I had quilted two quilts (Christmas Cars -12/18/20 in Dec 2020 and It's a Party - 2/19/21 in Feb 2021) with a circle template. They both had pleasing outcomes and so I wanted to get more practice with the larger BIG HQ Swiss Cheese Template. I chose the largest size circle, 2 ¼".

I had agonized over my stitching pattern decision and then tried to figure out how to space and line up those circles in a pleasing fashion. I inserted a photo of the spiral runner pieced top into PowerPoint and then overlaid circles to see how it would look. I wanted to follow the flow of the shape yet be reasonable about the work involved. Those jagged outcropping are ¾" before being trimmed off and I used them to scale my 2¼" circle diameter in PowerPoint. The blue line midway indicates where the light and the dark halves were joined.

Once I figured out a way to mark their placement by locating the center of each piece and then connecting the dots; the circles went in rather smoothly along the curve I had generated. The only problem was that those stitched circles did not show up! After minimal deliberation I chosen to quilt with the same gray variegated thread. All my stitching fretting had been for naught. I took a picture of each half in orthogonal lighting and with a good imagination you can see the circles. Wishful thinking, but perhaps they will puff up more after washing.

The circles show up slightly better on the back, which is the tape measure fabric. Following is a full runner photo followed by a closeup of those camouflaged circles.

These were the majority of my leftovers from cutting out those 10° wedges. Of course I could not bring myself to toss these out. I played with them and formed two "mini-somethings".

I quilted the "mini-somethings" from the back on my domestic along the lines of the tape measure print. I think this stitching pattern may very well be more effective than the circles; it was easier, too.

I do not plan to make a grosgrain ribbon label as is my habit for my quilts; instead I plan to write my initials and the year completed in fine-line fabric marker in an inconspicuous location on the back of the table runner itself and the two mini-somethings. The pseudo-labels will be short and to the point – DIC 2021.

I think picking out the fabrics was the messiest part. These are the options I spread out, considered and rejected, having to refold and put all of them away. Half-yard cuts are on the left and fat quarters are on the right.

Since the four strips cut from each fat quarter was 3" or less in width, there remains ~6" or more by ~22" or so half-fabric width from each fat quarter. Here those fat strips are folded neatly, ready for another study in gray. I suppose I could make a couple placemats but I am tired of these fabrics for now. My present challenge is to find an inventive place to store them so they are not forgotten. So for now my Eight Shades of Gray will be stashed away.

These are previous projects using the same table runner pattern. Their associated links are: http://dianeloves2quilt.blogspot.com/2011/11/spiral-table-runner.html

http://dianeloves2quilt.blogspot.com/2012/01/turquoise-and-grey-spiral-runner.html

http://dianeloves2quilt.blogspot.com/2016/12/vineyard-furrows.html
http://dianeloves2quilt.blogspot.com/2016/12/vineyard-furrows-completed.html

The Spicy Spiral Table Runner pattern that I used is still available on Etsy. It is an "oldie but goodie".