Christmas in July Scrap Buster

 Sew what do you do on a Sunday when it's hot as all get out, thunderstorms are on the way, and sweet hubby is enjoying a marathon of "Invaders if the Aliens"? I decided to do some cleanup/out in the sewing room. I've been putting a little of this and that to the side for a sweet young Mommy who could use a little surprise package. I'm thinking she could use the scraps to make a few Christmas gifts as things are very tight for her family right now. I promised in the pkg/note I sent to her I would post a tutorial on how to make a quilt as you go strip table runner that make GREAT gifts, take very little time, and best of all using what you have on hand, NO COST!! If you are new to sewing/quilting just ask a sewing/quilting buddy if she would be willing to share some scraps. Be prepared to get a whole lot more than you ask for as those of us who have a stash are always willing to share(unload) as much as we can!! Ha

The photo above is what I pulled from scraps yesterday. Leftover batting, leftover backing, along with some leftover jelly roll strips.

 Trim up your backing fabric whatever size works best for you. Make sure the backing is a little bigger than you want the runner to be in the end as sewing and quilting will reduce the size a bit. I cut mine 18x42.

 Now lay the backing down on a scrap piece of batting, cut out the batting. I do piece my backings sometimes to use on quilts but pieces like this one are too small to mess with.

 Go outside!!! Use some spray adhesive to glue the batting to the backing fabric. You could also use fusible batting on your backing but this post is all about using up scraps.

 See there, all sandwiched together for no cost.

 Nine jelly roll strips cut in half should be enough to make the table runner or you could cut 9 (2 1/2) WOF strips from whatever you have on hand.

 I combined jelly roll strips along with some home cut strips for my runner as I wanted to make two runners while I had the mess out. Lay your strips out in a pleasing way, remember to stack them into piles in order . Now you can start sewing with no thinking involved!! That's my kinda work.

Lay your backing FACE DOWN on the table. Now find the center of the runner, I mark mine with a pin on each end.  Lay your first strip FACE UP on the batting right down the center line. Don't sew yet.

 Take your second strip and lay it FACE DOWN on the first strip. Use pins!!!! These are sew easy to sew but it doesn't take but a skinny minute to get things off center.

 Finally you can sew. Use a 1/4 in seam for each strip. I like to use my walking foot but any foot would work, just keep your seams the same width.

 After sewing down the first strip iron the seams open. ALWAYS iron each strip as you go!! Keep adding one strip face down on the last strip, pin, sew, iron. That's all there is to it. I keep my stack of strips at the iron in the order I want to use them. Keeps things simple and fast.

 See the extra fabric overhang? While I am at it I go ahead and sew the strips to the end. I will try and make something up with those scraps soon to share, don't want to waste anything of this cute fabric.

 After you have all the strips sewn down you can start trimming your runner. Just flip it over and use you backing as the guide

 How cool is that the quilting is all done, the back is just as nice as the front.

 Because I had no desire to watch Aliens invade the country I went ahead and did extra top stitching/quilting to my runner. This could also be a place to use some of the cool decorative stitches we all have on our machine but never use.

Cut 2 1/2 inch strips for the binding and your done!! I did hand bind this runner while watching some HGTV last night but for the most part I machine sew bindings on for table runners.

I hate doing tutorials!! I can never remember to put all the steps needed nor the supplies. Sure hope any of you interested in giving this a try can figure out my gibberish!!

Now lets talk homemade/handmade gift giving.......

Too many times ladies are embarrassed or feel cheap if they give a handmade gift.

STOP doing that!!! If you feel like you handmade gift didn't cost you anything so it's unworthy of gift giving check out the ETSY store on line and see what the going rate is for you handmade item. The table runner I made yesterday runs between $40.00-$65.00 on Etsy. I would say that's a pretty darn good gift. Just because I was able to do it using what I had on hand doesn't make it worth any less.

Not sure what will match in your friends/family home? Then stick to holiday themed items. Christmas, Fall, Halloween, Spring, Summer. 4th of July just take you pick anything would work.

We have been giving handmade gifts for the most part our entire marriage. When we first started out it was due to fiances, as in we had NOTHING. Later in life when the kiddo's came along Santa ate up the budget, handmade was the way to go. Now that we are of a more mature age and have moved up the financial ladder a bit retirement funding is sucking up a huge chunk of change. Handmade continues..... I can honestly say I hope the day never comes that I am no longer able to give handmade items. They truly come from the heart, no matter if I am just whipping together scraps, food, cards, or scrapbooks a piece of me goes into each and every gift.

How about a little Challenge in July. Lets call it Handmade Christmas/gift giving. Share with the rest of us your favorite handmade gift you have received or handmade gift you like to give. If you have a blog make sure and let us all know if you will be doing a handmade gift post so we can all follow along!

Oh ya, I will be doing a Blog candy prize from the commnet section later this week SEW get your name in the hat!!