How to Make a Table Runner in 10 Minutes

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Ignore the wrinkles and the fact that it's on a side table. We are still remodeling and haven't gotten our table out of storage just yet. We will have it all back together next week with proper pics of the complete set.

Table runners are an easy way to make your table festive for the holidays, or just dressed up for any occasion. This is also a great gift for a friend or host of the party, especially when paired with the place mats and napkins coming up on next week's blog post.  They can be made in any size you like.  Mine is 15" wide and 54" long.   I used fabrics from my stash to make this table runner along with matching place mats and napkins so my fabric determined the size for me, but you can make yours in whatever size you need.

To determine the size table runner you need, measure the length of your table and add 12" for overhang and 3/4" for seam allowance.  The width should be between 15" and 18".  To make the table runner and matching placemats with napkins using my measurements, you will need about 2 1/2 yards each of two coordinating fabrics.  I chose print for the front and solid for the back, but you could easily have 2 different seasonal fabrics to change as the seasons change, or just two different holiday prints for mixing and matching to suit your mood.  If you're anything like me, you don't want to look at the same thing every day anyway so why not have some fun with it.

The first thing you need to do is wash, dry and iron your fabric.Once that is done, the runner will sew up very quickly.  Now you can cut out your table runner.  Using a rotary cutter, ruler and mat,  cut your fabric to the desired size.  Repeat for each fabric making sure they are the same size.  If you goof, like I did, just place the two fabrics right sides together and trim off the extra bit so that they match up in size.

Now that the two fabrics are the same size, pin them all the way around to keep them together as you sew.  Sew using a 3/8" seam allowance all the way around leaving a 3" opening for turning.  Trim off excess fabric from corners but not cutting into the stitches.

Stitch all the way around leaving an opening for turningTrim off cornersMake sure not to cut into stitching

You are half way done!  Turn you runner right side out.  Using a turning tool (chopstick), push out the corners of your table runner so they are nice and pointy.

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Take your table runner over to the ironing board...you know, that thing you only use for sewing...and iron the seams nice and even.  Fold the seam allowance of the opening even with the sewn seams so that it doesn't show once it's top stitched.  Sew all the way around your table runner about 1/8" in so that you catch the seam allowance in the stitching. This will close up the opening and give a nice, finished look.   You are finished with your table runner and it only took about 10 minutes!  Great job!  Make sure you share in my group on Facebook and use code GIFTS16 to enjoy 35% off on everything in my site store or my Etsy shop through 12/15/16

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