Cooler with a side of thrifty

Has the heat broken where you are yet? Supposedly it has broken here, and it's not close to 100 degrees any more, but it's still 90.  Do you think it will cool off if we all solemnly swear not to complain this winter?  As I do every year, I am giving thanks for Willis Carrier, the inventor of air conditioning.  It's the only way I survived this past week.  Where would we be without it?

Since it was a week filled with all kinds of other fun, there was not a lot of sewing time in there.  Still, it was really hot, so a few hours in the sewing room and I ended up with this:

Yes, it's another runner.  Hey, they're fast, and I got to practice some more quilting.  I had a specific purpose in mind for this one, too.  I needed a runner to protect the top of the sideboard, which is where I make tea in the morning and where I sometimes keep the fruit bowl (when it's not so hot that the fruit rots).  It gets a lot of action and I don't want it to be scratched.  Plus, the sewing room is air conditioned, so. . .

I can hear some of you now--"that's a lovely runner, Mari, but it does not look like your style at all."  You are correct!  I did not make these blocks.  They are one more set of blocks that I got in scrap bag.  They're beautifully pieced and worked great as a part of this runner, even if the colors aren't really what I usually use. 

When I got these blocks, I also got a yard and a half of the background fabric, which has a light aqua floral pattern in it. The selvage says that it's Luna Notte by Moda, which is several years old and is probably unfindable at this point.  The extra yardage meant that I could use it for the borders and a narrow sashing (half an inch, just enough so that I didn't have to match any seams), plus the backing and binding.  Overall, I really like the way everything kind of blends together.

I quilted this with the walking foot in a simple cross hatch, but instead of a square pattern I went for a diamond pattern this time.  It worked great, but I could use a little more practice on the size of the diamonds.  All together I only spent about 3 to 3-1/2 hours on this.  I'm not really sure but I know it was two podcasts and one afternoon.  This is the beauty of buying those thrifted blocks!

The runner finished at just 16 by 62 and is a perfect fit for my sideboard. It will now live there for several years, until the day comes when I look at it and decide that I want something different.  For now, though, it works! (It was quilted with a cream thread that blends really well, except on the darkest areas.  It's not really that stark in person. Or that wonky-looking, either.)

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Some workers came today and put up a big white tent on our neighbors' property, along with what looks like some beer taps.  Think they're having a party?  Hope I'm invited! (Do you think the tent will have AC? We'll see!)

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, TGIFF, and Let's Bee Social.