An Impromptu Table Runner or 2

So remember yesterday when I said I was excited to be working on some WIP's , well . . . I got distracted :)   And 2 totally impromptu fall table runners were the result ;)

You see, it all started when I got an email with cutting directions for a new project (one of those secret ones for a bit ;)   And you know how I love cutting!!!  So I immediately started cutting all of the prints that I would need for the project.   But then, I had all of these beautiful  strips and some scrappy bits leftover.  I just love these Desert Bloom prints from Sherri and Chelsi and knew right away that they would make the prettiest fall table runners.   

So I started to chain piece.  I really wanted to embrace some improvisational piecing here so I just kept chain piecing without much of a plan.  (which is so hard for me, but always a fun activity in letting go ;)  I chain pieced all of the little bits of scraps into strips that were about the same length as the strips I already had.   And I just loved that I had a variety of scrap sizes because they turned out so cute in all of their patchwork goodness.  From there I decided to add a super skinny neutral strip to either side of the patchwork so that it didn't get lost or to busy in the table runner.

Then I grabbed all of my plain strips and just started adding them to the patchwork.  Again, I tried to do this all improv, just randomly picking a side to add it to ;)  And of course, chain stitching was so fast, I didn't have time to worry about what it was going to all turn out like, tee hee hee.

So then I had all of these sections of pieced and plain strips.   At this point, I was super happy to find that I actually had enough for 2 runners, yippee!!!

I divided the section in half and then played with the layouts until I got 2 table runners that were fun and random, but yet still pleasing to the eye ;)  

And then, just for a little more balance and to really make those beautiful prints pop, I added a neutral border.  I just love the way it frames up all of that improvisational piecing goodness ;) 

And I used up all of the scrap bits from cutting my secret project.   So exciting!!!!   Don't you just love a good scrapbuster ;)

 Now I just need to get these quilted up ;)   But I guess I better get back to that previously mentioned WIP that is already on the long arm, but when it comes off, these might just squeak in between the next quilt.   So fun!!!

I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Weekend!!!

Linking up to Amanda's and Sarah's ;)