I have wanted to try out a granny square block for a while now, since I first saw them popping up around the blogosphere. But it wasn’t until The Great Granny Along popped up that I commited. But not for a whole quilt – I don’t have the time or effort for another quilt on the WIP list. Around the same time, I decided to make a table runner as a gift for a lady who has been helping me out each Wednesday with showing us around, helping us get set up, taking us out for lunch almost every week, and most importantly, babysitting the kids while I go teach English for an hour in the afternoons She’s actually Taiwanese, but has been living here for 25+ years since first coming here for uni – met a guy, and the rest is history! Add in the fact that she had admired my Good Fortune quilt top for it’s Japanesey fabrics, and we were joking about the fact she’s old than my mum, and you get a Great Granny table runner in Good Fortune!
Hibaba means great grandma in Japanese. Geddit?!
It’s backed and bound in a fabric I bought from Ikea last week. The colours match nicely without being too matchy-matchy.
I quilted around each big granny square, and then just the centre square in each block.
I strip pieced the two outer blocks, and half-strip pieced the centre block however I could. It wasn’t 100% accurate, but only a couple of squares look noticeably off, which is within my margin of error.
It was all wrapped up nicely, although not as fancy as Japanese department stores would have done! And it was well-recieved too!
Linking up to TGIFF at Plum and June, LAFF and Whoop Whoop!
Cherie says
That is a gorgeous table runner! Loving those fabrics! =D
Kristy QP says
Love this table runner! What a lovely thoughtful gift!
Sarah Lou says
This is beautiful! I love the message behind the name too 🙂
Rowen says
Beautiful colours. Love it!
Quiet Quilter says
Must remember that name…Love the backing on the table runner….oh, the front, too….
Laura says
You know how i love Kate spain! Great job 🙂
Sara says
Your friend sounds like a keeper!! You gave her a beautiful table runner:)
KatieQ says
I definitely didn’t see that your blocks were noticeably off. They look wonderful to me. It’s a lovely gift. I’m probably older than your mother. Does that mean I should be checking my mailbox for a Granny runner?
moira says
I’m such a granny square fan and now giant granny squares! too cool! I love that Ikea backing fabric too
Foolish Feathers says
Great job on the table runner; I think I see at least one print from Kate Spain in there that I am love with! What a sweet gift to give to a new friend!
Kara-Kara Pumpkineater says
This is so pretty!!! Let me know if you hear of any other granny alongs, k? 🙂
Sarah Craig says
Beautiful runner – but it’s hard to go wrong with Kate Spain, isn’t it? I love that material on the back, too – bought some myself at IKEA last month! Whoop whoop!!