Pulling Out, Starting Fresh

I started a new table runner using the sage green monk's cloth but wanted it to look Christmasy so I tried red glitter yarn with white glitter yarn.  I hated it.  Then I pulled out the white glitter yarn and replaced it with gold and hated it even more.  I'm going to pull the whole thing out now and start fresh with yarn that actually looks good on the sage green.

Never be afraid to admit you've made a mistake with your color choices.  Just remove them and start fresh!

Selling...I Hope!

I'm taking these 4 table runners and 1 small tablecloth to Decor On A Dime, a consignment store here.  I'd thought at first to take only used pieces but I have very few of them so I'm taking new pieces.  It will be interesting to see if they sell.

I'll also be selling at 2 craft shows this fall and winter since I'm not going to Florida until after Christmas.  This isn't a big income maker for me but it helps to sell a few so I can create more of them.  It's the creation I enjoy.

Update:  Unfortunately, this didn't work out.  The store would have had to put a list price on the items way too high in order to cover their costs so I'll just stick to selling them at the craft shows.  I do love this store, though, and will continue to shop there.  

Table Runner on burgundy

I have such a hard time photographing the real color but I'm going to be busy for the next 3-4 days so this is the best I could do.

The monk's cloth is a lovely deep burgundy and not the purply shade you see.  I used Simply Soft yarns in bone and off white to do the pattern but they're so close in color that you can't see that, either.  It does make a difference, though, and gives dimension to the pattern.  It's part of the "Grenada Design" from Nettie's Needleworks and it was easy to follow.  I couldn't use the whole pattern because of space.

I have to say it was nice to be back working on monk's cloth instead of the "Odd Run" from Ikea.      

Table Runner from Ikea's Oddrun Throw

I decided to use the pattern "Annie's Throw" from the Monk's Cloth For Today book.  Patterns are by Trice Boerens.  What you see on my table runner is only the very first row of this pattern and then I got lost so I created my own second row.  I'm finding it all a little sparse but I lost interest and just wanted to finish it quickly.

The Oddrun Throw fabric is very close to monk's cloth but not as sturdy and a little flimsy to work with.  This might have been what bored me.  The color is supposed to be grey but it really looks black to me and that makes it hard on the eyes to work on.  Another reason I might have lost interest.

I used Caron Simply Soft Party yarn in silver sparkle and snow sparkle. and they looked nice on the dark fabric.

This is also an extra long table runner at 60" long x 14 1/2" wide.  I threw the thought around that I should add one more row of border but, again, not too interested, so I have started another table runner using proper monk's cloth in burgundy.  It's lovely and I was very happy working on it.

It would be interesting to hear from someone who also used the Odd Run fabric and what they thought of it.

I'm not thrilled with this runner and will have to use brighter colors the next time I use the fabric.  That might make a difference.

Christmas Table Runner

I had just begun working on this table runner when my daughter brought me the "odd run" fabric from Ikea.  I rushed to complete it so that I could work on the "odd run" fabric.

It's dark green monk's cloth and I used the same pattern I used on the last one, "Celestial Flare" by Christine Allan.  I love all the possible color combinations you could use with this pattern and will use it again some time in the future. I used Caron's Party yarn in red sparkle and spring (medium green) sparkle. 

Ikea's Oddrun Throw

I was going to wait until I worked on this fabric but worried Ikea might run out of them.  My daughter washed and dried mine but I forgot to tell her to wash on gentle cycle so there was a lot of lint.  Something else I'd suggest is to cut off the fringe before washing because I think that's where most of the lint came from.

Anyway, I was just thrilled when she brought it to me because, if it isn't actually monk's cloth, it's the nearest thing to it.  I bought 2 but cut one of the throws into 3 pieces because I want them for runners.  If I leave them as is, the runner will be extra long (I didn't measure but I think it's maybe half again as long as monk's cloth).  I'll decide once I start working on it.

I paid $15 Cdn...they're $12.50 U.S...so each runner will have cost me $5.00 for the fabric.  They come in very dark grey (almost black) and a slightly off-white.  I have the dark grey and plan on using white and light grey yarn on the first one I do.

I have tons of fabric already so I'm not going to buy more of this but I advise all Swedish weavers to get on over to Ikea and buy some before they're gone.  They are with all the other throws so not hard to find.

Update:  I started working on it this morning and have discovered a flaw you need to be aware of.  Monk's cloth is extremely forgiving when a strand is pulled out of shape but this fabric is not.  I accidentally pulled a couple of floats and was unable to get them perfectly back in shape.  I'll keep trying.  The photo below shows how similar the fabric is to monk's cloth.  The color is actually darker than the photo shows, though.

Beautiful, But Nothing But Trouble

                                         Shows knotted ends.

                                 
                                         Super glue I used.

                                         Ends cut back before applying super glue.

                                         Runner left to dry overnight.

                                         Completed table runner.

                              Hemmed ends...kind of bumpy.

I made a terrible mistake when I bought this beautiful yarn...and then bought 2 different colors which I have used.  Patons Metallic is not for Swedish weaving.  It's properties are so bad that I can't believe it can be used for any craft.

I don't like to waste anything so I proceeded to use my second color (burnished rose gold...but it looks more like mauve) on a table runner for myself.  The finished product looks lovely but the underside finishing isn't up to par.  The yarn ends fray in long strands so can't be used for fringe.  Luckily, each end of the strand can be knotted and still slide through your fabric.  

On my first project using this yarn, I burnt the finished ends before hemming the end of the runner.  This time I decided to super glue those ends but wish I hadn't.  First, I was very afraid of super glueing my fingers.  Second, it took forever to dry completely.  Third, it dried hard and I actually broke a sewing machine needle when I was hemming the ends of the runner.

Now for the good part...I used Christine Allan's "Celestial Flare" pattern which I absolutely love and can't wait to use again.  The pattern was a little large for my fabric so I chose to close it up by one float between each pattern.  I decided at the very end to change the final row to suit myself and realized I hadn't needed to close it up but it was done.

The runner is lovely and will go on my dining room table.  I will never, ever use that yarn again, though.