After making several quilts using polka dot fabrics, my Mom had some great scraps. So we got together yesterday to “Use Them Up.” The fabrics were mostly small pieces, so we had to be creative. The end result was this wonderful table runner just in time for Easter.
You can make your own Runner using up scrap fabric or buy new. Either way it’s a fun, easy and inexpensive project. It took us about three hours to complete the Runner. I was so happy to use the large rickrack. I’m not sure what it is about rickrack, but I really love it. The great part is this project can be adapted to any holiday or season. To make this project you will need
- Strips of fabric 1 1/2 inches to 3 1/2 inches wide and 18 inches wide. We used 18 strips but you can customize to the size of your table. (Don’t worry if you need to piece some of the strips, we did on this project)
- Fabric back
- Thin cotton or cotton blend quilt batting
- We used 4 yards of rickrack (but it depends on how long your runner will be.)
Here’s how to make it:
1. Start by cutting your fabric into strips of varying widths.
2. Arrange the strips until you are happy with their order. Make sure to vary the widths and size of the pattern.
3. Using a 1/4 inch seam sew the strips together. Don’t worry if the ends aren’t perfectly lined up. As you sew each strip together press all the seams in one direction. (Make sure to press each time you add a strip.)
4. Using a ruler and an Olfa cutter, straighten the ends.
5. Working one side at a time pin the rickrack to the edges leaving it an inch longer on each end. Crisscross ends and pin the next side until rick rack goes all the way around.
6. Sew rickrack to runner with 1/4 inch seam. Make sure to use the middle of rickrack as your guide.
7. Cut the back and the batting 1 inch bigger all the way around.
8. Layer first the batting to wrong side of back, then right side of pieced top to the right side of back. Pin together.
9. Following the sewing line of the rickrack, sew all the way around, leaving a 6 inch opening on one of the sides.
10. Trim sides to 1/4 inch from seam and clip corners.
11. Turn and press.
12. Stitch opening shut by hand.
13. Machine quilt (or hand quilt if have nothing but time on your hands) in the ditch. (For the non-quilters, the ditch is the strip seams.)
I am so happy with our finished project, and it looks really great on my table. But, if you are feeling even more creative you could iron-on a bunny or flowers and finish with a blanket stitch. What about adding buttons or trims? Use your imagination. Don’t be afraid, perfection is over-rated anyway. I saw this quote on a notebook in my Mom’s sewing room and wanted to pass it along.
Many thanks to Nadine from Material Girls Quilts for the great supply of polka dot fabrics. http://www.thematerialgirlsquilting.com/ Check out her store for lots of wonderful fabrics and creative ideas. (Most of my apron fabrics come from Material Girls too.)
Calli this turned out so cute. I love your explanation of how to position the rick rack. Super super cute. I swiped the picture of it all done to show people on my blog. I thought I’d ask for forgiveness after the fact!
The runner is adorable.
I love your tablerunner! Thanks for sharing. Now where are my polka dot fabrics?
Hi Calli — Nanette sent me over. I LOVE your cute little table runner — how perfect for Easter. And I REALLY LOVE the ric rac that you ran around the edge — too cute!
I love this idea! The table runner is adorable!
Hi Calli!
Nanette sent me over to check out your blog and I’m glad she did.
It’s filled with all things wonderful and I hope you don’t mind if I add a link from my blog.
I just have to tell you that I have known your Mom for a long time and I know how talented she is and also a genuine humble person.
I love your leftover polka dot project- I can never get tired of polka dots!
I hope you have a great Easter with your family,
Lori
Calli,
Adorable, I can see you get your mom’s creative genes. Thanks for the shout out about Material Girls. I’ll be checking back often!
Nadine
[…] just want to take a moment to thank Martha Stewart… I won a contest for my Easter Table Runner this Spring from her and received a SeaGate External Hard Drive and have been backing up my […]
Thank-Q for share your idea. It’s simple and easy… But it’s great … and I like it.
I’m from Brazil and I love your explanation!!!!
Thanks for share your experience.
I really like this quilt especially with the rick rack, I’m also a rick-rack girl (& and those small pompoms that can be added to pillows, lampshades, etc.). I haven’t sewn in years and this will be a good project to start back with. Thanks.
Love this project! Soooo doing two of these–one for me and one for my mom for Easter this year, which is also the weekend for our annual family reunion :) Can’t wait to get started!
love this. Now I’ll have to check through my stash of materials to see if I can come up with some that will coordinate and make one of these.
I love this . The material is so what I have been looking for . I went to the Material Girls web site and cannot get the fabrics to open . Do you know of any reason it would not open ?
I love this! Can’t wait to get started. Thank you for sharing.
Hi! Thanks for sharing this tutorial with the world! I just wanted to give you a head’s up that I’ll be linking to it from my blog (http://sewlindsaysew.wordpress.com) in a post about my ten favorite Easter-inspired projects! Happy Sewing!
So cute! Thanks so much for sharing. I’m going to try this.:)
Just what I wanted for my Easter table. Love it
Please!
What wide is the Rick rack, I see it so wide…
I have wonderful fabrics to make this but I fully even know how to use my sewing machine yet and, I have no idea what “Following the sewing line of the rickrack” means. I’m hoping to figure it out though. I love yours.
So cute.