Monday, we chatted about my hesitation on the layout of this autumn runner I’m embroidering for my very own house.
Would you believe that this is the first embroidery project I’ve ever intentionally set out on, solely to make something for my own house? Go figure.
I could probably analyze and explain why this is so, if I thought about it long enough, but I don’t want to bore you!
So instead, I’ll just show you where I’m at on my Autumn Table Runner for Me Project.
I am here!
I finished the layout I was previously musing over. I ended up with a leafy line across each of the two short ends and, scattered down the length of the runner (without placing anything in the direct center), seven individual leaves in two different sizes.
Once these were transferred, I started pulling colors.
To get myself off on the right track and to make color selection much easier, I went back to previously worked autumn designs – especially this ready-to-stitch collection of cotton towels, called Autumn Variety. You’ll see at the end of that article on Autumn Variety that there’s a color listing of the threads I used on that project.
Starting there, I pulled the DMC solids and Variations (that’s DMC’s overdyed variegated floss) that I had previously used.
Then, I removed colors I wasn’t so keen on, and rotated in a few that I think I’ll like better. Most of these were browns, though a couple were oranges.
The way I go about this kind of project is to set nothing in stone, color-wise, at the beginning. I give myself a working palette, but then, as I stitch, I choose colors from that working palette – and I discard colors as well.
I won’t use every color I picked, but the whole collection gives me a springboard to get started.
Having them all pulled and in my project bag allows me to work wherever I want and have access to good array of colors.
Woooohoooo! Now I’m ready to start stitching. Somewhere between the normal weekend hullabaloo – you know, grocery shopping, meal prep, household chores, laundry, all those typical weekend eventualities that never seem to magically go away – I intend to get the first stitches in on this project. I can’t wait! One step closer to my very own table runner for my very own table!
As this project progresses and I solidify color and stitch choices and whatnot, I will certainly keep you abreast of those decisions.
Heads Up!
If you enjoy seasonally themed stitch accessories, I added a few autumn needle minders (including toadstool / mushroom needle minders that are autumnal in color) to our collection of hand-crafted bisque needle minders.
The toadstools are all large (1 1/8″), strong-pull, square needle minders that can hold small scissors or laying tools as well as needles.
The autumn leaves and twigs are small square needle minders with a lighter pull, that work best for just needles.
You can see more images in the shop listing for the needle minders, under Embroidery Equipment.
There aren’t a lot available, I’m afraid. The mushrooms were a request, and we decided to make a small batch of them in case anyone else was interested. I think they’re really cute! But I realize that fungi might have a limited appeal!
We have Christmas needle minders available right now, too, if you’re planning ahead, and we’ve been adding variety to our current stock of florals, sprigs, and garden needle minders this summer, as well.
Will the table runner be available with the pattern on it like the towels?
Hi, Ann, At this time, we haven’t prepared any runners with the designs on them. I hesitated to do that, because the runners themselves tend to be a bit pricy, and the extra work and supplies for the transfers would increase the price a bit. We could do it on an individual basis, I guess. Reach out via email and we’ll talk about it! (We don’t have the natural runner in stock at this time – just the white).
I’ve been looking for more autumn patterns, I grew up in New England and really miss the trees turning color. Maybe I’ll actually get around to stitching some leaves. That will mean getting out to Joann’s as i have only a few colors that seem autumn-ish to me.