PATRIOTIC TABLE RUNNER

Happy 4th of July!  Hope everyone is having a good day.

I didn't think I was going to get my patriotic table runner finished before the day was over, but I did.  Just finished the machine quilting.  It is a new pattern for me.  I am sure it has a name, I just don't know it. My friend,  Janice and I saw them for sale in an Amish store in Jamesport, MO and I said, "I can make this."  I know you have heard this before.  As I said before, Janice is used to hearing this.  Anyway we measured the width of the strips and then I lost the paper I wrote it down on and had to make it what I thought would be a good size. 

When we went to the fabric store in Jamesport, I found this bundle of Patriotic fat quarters.  At the time I didn't know what I was going to do with them, but I knew I would find something.  At our next stop when I saw the table runners for sale in a store, I told Janice I could make it with the fat quarters I had bought.

When I had decided what size I thought I wanted to make it, I cut some strips the "finished" size and laid them out on my table.  (Can you tell I am a visual learner?  That's why I have so many pictures.)

I numbered the pieces in the order that I planned to sew them together.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS PATRIOTIC TABLE RUNNER:

       7  different patriotic prints 
     1/2  yard of material for backing
     1/2  yard of thin batting

Directions:  From 6 of the prints, cut two strips 3 inches wide and 9 inches long.  From the other print, cut a 6.5 inch square for the center.  All seams will be a quarter of an inch and should be backstitched at beginning and end.  Press each seam toward the strip after sewing.

After deciding the arrangement of the pieces, start sewing them together from the center.  As you might imagine by looking at the picture, when you sew #1 and #2 together, the strip will extend longer than the square.  Stop the seam a quarter of an inch before the end of the square.  This is very important later when you have to start on the right of the square and add strip #9 to the square.


Next sew on Strip # 3 and continue through #7.  (Refer to picture of the numbered pieces if you need to.)  You have finished half of the runner at this point.  Strip #8 starts the other side. Strip # 9 will enclose the square and is the only one sewed differently.  
                                                                                                                                             When you match up strip #9 and strip #8 at the top, you will sew down to the spot where you stopped sewing strip #1 to strip #2 (above picture), backstitch. 

Then pivot the pieces so that the end of strip #9 matches with the end of strip #2.  Sew across the previous seam to the end. This is what it will look like on the back when you finish this square.







Continue with strips #10 thru #13 just as you sewed on #3 thru #7 and you are finished with the top and ready to cut the batting and backing.

I laid the finished top on the batting and cut around the edges using my rotary cutter on longer sections and scissors on shorter pieces.

To reduce bulk when I turn the runner, I laid back the pieced top a little way (1) and cut the batting a quarter inch smaller(2).  I pinned the pieces together with large safety pins and then turned it over and made sure the batting was a quarter inch smaller all the way around.(3)  Then I laid it on the backing with right sides facing and pinned them together using more large safety pins.(4)

I sewed the backing and top together making sure that I didn't sew through the batting and left about a 3 inch opening so that I could turn the runner, backstitching at beginning and end.  To reduce bulk when turned, clip across the ends of the points and clip to the stitching on the inside points of the seams.  (Sorry no picture)




 I removed the last safety pins, pulled the runner through the opening, flatten out outer points and inside corners, slip stitched the 3-inch opening together with a blind stitch, and pressed.  I finished up the runner by "stitching in the ditch" and then sewing closely around the edges.  This latter stitch will secure the batting since I didn't include it in the seam when I sewed the top and backing together.

Here it is finished on my "Bench" coffee table.

I think the back looks good, too.










Because I used fat quarters, I have plenty of material left to make another one or something different.  You could also make this (which I probably will) using "scraps" of materials for other times of the year.  

Would love to hear your thoughts about my runner!  It was fun figuring out how to make it and then seeing my finished effort.  

UPDATE:

I was so please with the way my patriotic table runner turned out (and how easy it was to make), I knew I would be making another one using fabric with a different theme.  I guess I need to come up with another title besides "Patriotic" Table runner.  Table Runner just seems too short.

Anyway, I wanted to share with you my Fall Table Runner turned out.  I didn't take pictures as I made it because I didn't do anything different.  Hope you enjoy the pictures of my new table runner.

Here is a close up of half of it so you can see the prints a little better.  These were scraps that I had.

  
This is the print I put on the back.

 
Stay tuned....Christmas isn't that far away.