Halloween Table Runner

Here is the tutorial for the basic table runner , and the basic PDF for the original table runner or click on the tutorials tab.

Last year I used my favorite table runner tutorial for the Easy Table Runner (or 10 Minute Table Runner by LaRae Bunnell Clark) to make a Halloween table runner. It was a fast easy and fun project and you could make one for Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah etc. (It is not a quilted table runner.)

 A quick tutorial on the stack and whack method.

SUPPLIES:

4+ fat quarters. (Use whatever number suits your project, but at least 3.)

Yardage for backing (this will be equal to the length of your finished pieced strip by the width plus a few inches) I started with 2 yards but did not use it all. It was probably a little less than a yard in length. I wanted a long runner for my large table.

Rotary cutter

Ruler

Cutting mat

Sewing machine

Coordinating Thread.

Pins

Iron

Here the ruler is angled left.

For the next cut the ruler angled right. Sorry about the missing  ruler change in the photo.

 

 

 

 

You can visit my original post here.

Have a great day!

WIP Wednesday

Hey, Hey, Hey! It's Work in Progress Wednesday!
What have I been up to? Well, let's see.

Things that have been at the top of my WIP list are:

• Tree skirt - Yes, my tree is still in the buff. Let's just leave it at that.

• Stockings - Still just one done. I discovered the reason why I did not have enough scraps to do the advent calender. It was because I was using the whole fat quarter for the stocking, when I had intended to use half for the stocking front and half for the advent pockets, and a different fabric to make all the backs of the stockings. The backing fabric was sitting in the bottom of the project box. I cleaned it out to organize my to-do list and get the cobwebs out of my brain and found it. So.... now I am making the first stocking again, which puts me back at 6 stockings. That is not very good progress.

• Advent Calendar - Front and back and batting cut.
• Hand quilting on In-Spur-Ation quilt. Not really any progress.
• Block 4 of MOTP LC QA - I printed the pattern out!
• December BOM - I picked up the kit
  

Since last week I added some more to-do's which are:

• Teacher gifts - not sewn, just gifts cards and a treat with a digitally created tag*. - DONE
  

• Neighbor gifts - plates of treats. - DONE

• A reusable gift bag/tote for my sister's family's Christmas gift - DONE and mailed!

Don't look too closely at the tag. I tried my hand at applique and it did not go well. I am also still REALLY bad at bindings.

• Table runners for the ladies I visit teach (if you follow this link, click "additional information") and my V.T. companion (4 total) and tags* (I used the same tag as the teacher gifts, just a little change) - DONE!

• Gift bag/tote for MIL, FIL, and my parent's gifts.
• Baby K's Christmas Jammies
  

• Christmas cards to put together, print and mail. I think I am going to use templates from Creativity by Crystal. She just came out with 5x7 ones that will work great.

AND I am officially overwhelmed.

:)

Now it's time to go see what else is happening in blog land! Go to Freshly Pieced to see what other folks are working on!

*Tag elements by Shabby Princess

FNSI projects

Last night was another Friday Night Sew In and I was able to get 1 table runner done, another table runner almost done, it just needs the topstitching, and a partial tote bag to wrap my sister's family's Christmas gift in. I would have finished it but I ran out of red thread. I just need to make and attach straps and then I can get it in the mail.
The table runners are made with the Easy Table Runner tutorial. They really are fast and easy.


Runner 1 (my fav so far)


Runner 2 ('s'okay) The red fabric has little taupe stars. They look like blurry polka dots in this picture.

There really was not a good way to take a picture of the bag with no handles. It's just solid red so nothing too exciting anyway.

Easy Table Runner

My daughter and I learned this from Nana and Grandma Lorry as a potential Activity Days project for our group of girls. They learned it from a man in Payson, Utah at Morgansen's (a quilt shop I believe). He had boy scouts make it! While it is easy, and a small group of girls could do it, our larger group of nearly 20 would not be able to in an hour, the time we have available. So, we just made it at home.

This pattern has been floating around for a while, but I have been unable to "google" a tutorial for it. So I made one. It is not a very good one. It is my very first tutorial, but if you have questions I am more than happy to answer them.

Easy Table Runner:

Fabrics: 2 coordinating fabrics of equal widths (i.e. 45”wide)

#1: 1/2 yard (18”) x WOF (width of fabric)

#2: 1/3 yard (12”) x WOF

Thread to match fabric

Scissors

Rotary cutter, mat and ruler (for trimming excess fabric)

Pins

Iron

Sewing machine

Spray starch


Trim selvages off fabric and even the ends. Find the center of each panel and finger press or mark with a pin.

Lay out fabrics right sides together. Match up the pins and put another pin in the top of the crease to pin fabrics with right sides together. Do this for both ends. You should now have the short ends of the fabrics pinned together. Fabric 1 should be centered in Fabric 2, wrong side up with Fabric 2 showing right side up on either side of Fabric 1.

Match up 44” sides (WOB) of Fabric1 and Fabric 2, pin and sew a ¼” seam, right sides together, backstitching at both ends. Repeat on opposite side. You should have a tube of fabric with wrong sides facing out. Press seams to set.



Turn the tube right side out. Find the center of your smaller panel and finger press or mark with a pin. Do the same with your back panel. Match up your marking pins to center the panel, and pin the center marks.


(this picture the tube is still inside out, sorry about that)

Fold the tube in half lengthwise with Fabric 1 on the inside. Marking pins should be in the fold. You should have 4 long narrow layers. Pin across the top.

Remove your marking pins and sew a ¼” seam, backstitching on both ends. Repeat for the opposite end of the tube. Press to set seams.

With your finger in the folded side, push the corner out to the front of the panel forming the point end of the runner. Repeat for the other end.





Press and starch. If desired, you can add decorative seams to the outside, ¼” to ½” in from the edges.





More pictures here

*edit 04-04-11 a pdf has been found that may be the original pattern. Thanks to Amy at Not always with thread for posting the link. 
10 minute tablerunner by LaRae Bunnell Clark