Let's get down to business. Sewing the top...Making a table runner

The time is nigh.  I have given you as much information as I think you need in my "How to Quilt from the Beginning" tutorials.  There are more tutorials to come...but come on, let's stop learning and get to the creating!  The Sewing!  The good stuff!

Wait, you didn't figure out the math?  That's alright.  As long as you have some fabric, and it looks like it's enough, let's just go for it. If you run out...you can figure something out.  I am fan of fake it when you make it.  You can always say you meant to make it that way!

Cut your fabric.  If your table runner is 3 blocks across, you need 4: 1" x 5" strip, 3: 5" x 5" blocks and 1: 1" x 16" strip.  Except for the very first row, then you need 2: 1" x 16" blocks.

1.  Line up your blocks with a white strip pinned to the left side.

2.  Sew.  It's faster if you sew a bunch at one time using the chain method with means one right after the other. The first block is going to have a white strip on the left and right sides of it.  All other blocks will only have a white strip on the left side.

3.  Place 2 blocks right sides together and sew.  You are sewing the 2nd block to the 1st blocks white strip.  Continue until you have all your blocks sewn together in a row.

4.  Press.  I liked to press out from the white strips.  This way you don't see the seams through the front of the fabric.

I like to line my blocks up like this before I sew them, this way I stitch the correct blocks together.

 

Once you have your row done.  Sew on the 1" x 16" horizontal strip on.  Press.  Again I would press away from the white strip.  I like to number my strips, this way I always know what order they go in.

Repeat.  I line up the new row underneath the previous row.  I include the white strips in it so I don't forgot to sew them on.  

One last tip.  You want your vertical white strips to match up in a straight line as closely as possible...so what I do is: place them right sides together, then I fold back the top block far enough that I can see if my white strips line up.  If not, I shift them over a bit until it looks good.  Once I am satisfied, pin in place.  Do this for each set of vertical strips.  Once everything is pinned where you like it, sew!

 

 Keep going until your table runner is as long as you like.

Next time we'll talk about attaching the back to it...and then you'll have a beautiful table runner!

Thanks for reading!

For a refresher on my "How to Quilt from the Very Beginning", please Click here. 

Heather