Easy Table Runner Tutorial

This past week we decorated our house for Christmas. We don’t do a ton of decorating for Christmas mostly because of too many little hands getting into things, but the boys love to decorate for holidays so we do try to make it a little festive around here.

We put up our mini tree (I don’t feel like guarding a big tree from my ornament obsessed 2 year old), a wreath, our Advent calendar, the felt tree that I made for them to play with, and a few other odds and ends.

I like to have a festive table so I decided to make a table runner with some Vintage-looking Christmas fabric that I got at Zinks about 2 years ago.  I think I paid about $1.79 a yard and I bought 4 yards.  I used 2 1/2 yards to make my runner.

Here’s how you can make your own table runner too!

Step 1: Wash, dry, cut and iron your fabric.  The length of your runner will depend on your table size and how long you would like your runner to hang down over the sides.  I laid my fabric down on my table and marked where I thought it looked like a good length.  I then cut the length.

I did not adjust the width at all.  My fabric I used was a 44 inch wide fabric and I cut it to about 84 inches long.  This made a finished table runner that is approximately 18.5 inches wide by 83 inches long.

Step 2: Fold the fabric in half from one selvage side to the other with the right sides facing each other.

Step 3: Iron the folded edge down so that it is nice and flat.

Step 4: Pin around all the edges.  Then sew around the edges but leave an opening of 5 inches unsewn.

I lined my sewing machine foot with the edge of the fabric on 3 of the sides but on the side with the selvages I sewed further from the edge so that the selvage would not show once I turned it right side out.

Step 5: Turn the table runner right side out by pulling it through the opening.  Use a pencil or something small to push the corners out all of the way so that they are nice and square.

Step 6: Iron the table runner so that it is nice and flat.

Step 7: Topstich around the entire table runner.  This will sew the opening shut and finish the table runner.

That’s it!  Enjoy.

I’m loving the vintage look that this gives my table.  What sort of Christmas look do you like?  Traditional? Sleek and modern?  I’d love to hear so let me know in the comments.

Cat

Cat is a teacher turned stay-at-home mom of two boys.  She shares crafts, DIY projects, kids’ activities, and a little bit about life in Ohio.  Learn more about her and the blog on the About page.