Grain Sack Runner, French Cache Pot, and a Lesson

Busy working on one of these. It's a gift for a really sweet friend. These are my inspiration pieces. You can find grain sack runners on many of the blogs, but these are some of my favorites. Soon, I hope to have finished my own version of a grain sack table runner. I'm checking around to see if I should line it or not. I wish they would show the back side of the runners so I'd know what to do! I think unlined is a little more authentic.

Ruffled or plain? Monogram? Stripe? Stenciled design?

I hope to have the finished product done by Friday night - since it needs to be pressed and wrapped by Saturday morning! I guess I'm putting up this post to to commit to having it done by then!

2 hours later . . .

This is really a pretty quick project. I made the runner the length of her table plus two inches, so the ruffle would hang nicely. I just rolled a quarter inch once, then once again for the hem on either side of the runner. Then I used some creme colored damask for the ruffle, twice the width of the runner. I did decide to go with unlined. After sewing a ruffle on each end, I did a zig-zag stitch on the seam to keep it from fraying with use. Then I was ready to stencil. I ordered the stencil from Maison de Stencils.   It was a little pricey but I figure I can get my money's worth out of them in no time.

I used masking tape to keep the stencil in place before I started painting. I knew I should try out the stencil on a piece of scrap fabric first, so that I could troubleshoot on something other than the finished runner. However, I am not known for my patience, so I forged ahead and started stenciling right on the runner. I was lucky. It worked just fine. I used a dark brown acrylic paint. Now, before I wrap it, I'll need to set the paint with a hot, dry iron - then spray it with fabric protector.

This isn't a stencil brush, but it's close enough. It's a large,

round, flat-bottomed brush that's pretty stiff.

I had to try it out on my table to see what it would look like.

And now I need to make one for myself!

Along with the table runner, I'm wrapping up a "French" clay pot. I was so excited to get
started on this one that I forgot to take before pictures. Can't believe I did that, but you'll
just have to believe it started out with a glossy red glaze.

Kind of like this . . . it's the closest I could find to the before "look". Ugly.

The red was horrible but I loved the shape of the pot. The inside of the pot is raw clay. I painted the outside with white acrylic paint using a brush to get a little more texture, and left the inside as raw clay. After two coats, I glued on the French chocolate label that I found on The Graphics Fairy, then rubbed some Old English Scratch Cover over the whole thing. The label had been printed on off-white card stock. I was a little worried that the stain would obliterate the details on the label, but it just made the label look old and worn. Then a coat of Matte Mod Podge for protection and it's done!

Since the label is for chocolates, I filled it up with the same! It could also be used to

hold silverware on a buffet table, a fresh bouquet of flowers for a centerpiece, or a potted plant.

Ready to wrap with no time to spare - the birthday
luncheon is about 12 hours from now! Time for bed.

Saturday afternoon:

And, now for the lesson! Assuming your friends don't check your blog very often, is a mistake! I thought I was safe. But, unbeknownst to me, Pam had looked at this blog post . . . several times . . . and she had seen the progression of this gift all along the way! That'll teach me to be more patient with my posts! Anyway, there was no surprise when she opened her package today and saw her table runner and cache pot. We did have a wonderful day, and it all made for a good laugh - and a lesson. Happy Birthday, Pam!

This project is linked up with:

and

and

We Did It Wednesday @ Sewmuchado.blogspot.com

and

Funky Junk Interiors!

and

Faded Charm Cottage's White Wednesday