The Winning Table Cloth

Eight trees under the table settings

Last January Sally asked me to make her a custom table cloth quilt for her birthday. She would use it at the yearly Lady's Christmas Tea to be held December 7th at her church. I have gone every year since meeting Sally and Jake. Yesterday, I went to that Tea. The room was so festive with maybe 20 round tables. Each table was decorated by the hostess and we had those pretty little sandwiches and small desserts--a genuine tea. The event featured collecting baby items for the Plant City Crisis Pregnancy Center--a wonderful cause and the Center's director shared information after the meal. 

Let me back up and tell you about the design of this round table cloth, a would-be quilt. I got the idea HERE (fabulous quilting blog Sew We Quilt, by the way).  I changed it from a table runner to a round table cloth. I used four of the five layers pictured from that blog. The top was silver, hand sewn, and two other layers were green with that brown tree trunk.  After sewing other three sides and turning it, I would sew the top of the brown trunk with  machine sticking  Then I hid the brown sewing machine stiching with the next green label. Finally the silver would have to be hand sewn to cover that second green piece. I had elaborate plans to make it an official round quilt with the batting, the backing and the edging. 

Picture From Sew We Quilt. 

Sally wanted both gold and silver and I had that cut out along with the tree pieces.

Monday, December 1st, my I had a sewing machine problem. Between substitute teaching and going to Toastmasters in the evening I stopped by Lakeland's Fabric Warehouse for help with the machine stitching. Kenny served my husband dinner that day while I also went shopping for hubby's birthday present of clothes before going to Toastmasters.

The white material (snow) was to go on the bottom and had to be eased into the gold layer and ironed to the center of the table cloth. 

Tuesday, December 2nd more problems. Ziggy had to go to the vet and I had a plumbing problem. I was able to cancel substituting 7th period and get Ziggy into the vet my 4:30. I canceled substituting on Wednesday and met the plumber at our home. Between other errands on Wednesday, I got some work on the table cloth done. Still touch and go--would it be done? Eustress is good for me.

Thursday Sally picked up hubby and brought him to Cracker Barrel Restaurant where the four of us celebrated his 76th birthday. Sally saw the table cloth on the pool table in the den.

With the brown trunk and the two green layers sewn to the table cloth by machine, I finished sewing the top silver sections of eight trees by hand while I substituted in Mrs. Watson's class on Friday. Some of those middle school students never see a woman sewing. (Usually when I substitute teach I read and write while they do their work, unless they need my help.) Friday night about 5:30 Sally picked the table cloth up from our home on the way to her church where the hostesses were preparing for the tea the next day. It was not quilted through the layers, but she was happy with it and I had been able to sleep Thursday night. 

Saturday at the tea awards were given out.

Second place, Most Creative.

First place, Most Creative.

Second place, Most Beautiful

Then the last award. 

First place, Most Beautiful--Table Six. 

Sally's table won!

Sally with the award. 

Sally credited me for my help. Now if there were to be an acceptance speech for me, and I might say something such as, I would say thanks to Sally who was very calm about my ability to finish her late birthday gift and who waited with a Plan B in case I didn't come through. Thanks to Mrs. Watson's students who were working well, waiting for my rap at the end of class. Also credit goes to Kenny who came over to our home during the tea and fixed lunch for the two Alzheimer's husbands--Jake and DH. Jake brought their puppy over to socialize with our dog Ziggy. Thanks to Ziggy for his hospitality. Thanks to Google who for $2.49 a month let me put pictures on this blog.