Making, A table runner.

Today I am sharing the process of my first homemade table runner sewing project. I was so into this project diving into fabrics and wanted to make something more with this machine of mine mostly I have been using it for Project Life pages and the odd coaster making and pot holders - Insert the ecourse I purchased from Elise about a year ago. I made the pillow (top) yet to finish it. Here is the making of a table runner.

First things it was the fabric, that very bold colourful print was a left over from Ikea a few years back that sat in my basket - I wanted to make it something. Then I went out to local fabric shops to pick up the other solids (which were meant to be in a different project - but this worked so good). cutting and cutting and cutting began.

Soon after all that cutting came the fun part of stitching it all together, I ran out of the bobbin thread twice. I then seen a tip in a quilting magazine to get at least 3 bobbins ready... I will do that next time. 

Once the stitching of the material is all together then it's the pinning or "sandwiching" of the top to the batting + the backing material this took a little time but with the help of Ava passing me the pins we got it done.

I truthfully had no real idea how to stitch this all together but knew it would be lines going vertically, then I wanted it to look not so stiff so I went with the wavy lines it totally helped as I am still new to this and wavy lines are easier than precise straight ones. 

For the wavy lines I decided to go with the orange thread - which I also ran out of. 

I began to understand that there are a lot of pins & thread, scissor cutting, and my tweezers came in handy.

Once this part of stitching the material all together was done (what a success on it's own) it was then time to bind it all - insert me frowning.

I had picked up this material in a clearance bin & although had no purpose at the time it sure fit in here nicely. 

Hard part & Easy part - there is no real easy thing about quilting ... I think the more you do it the better YOU are at this but it is still very time consuming & I have a new appreciation for quilt makers!! Trimming the excess off the runner to prep it for the binding was a pain because I am a memory keeper and I trim paper all the time - this is not paper, each time I thought it was straight it wasn't ... I let it go.

Here we go, binding & I think I held my breath the whole time. I know again once I do this more - the more comfortable I will be so I gave myself a break and kept on stitching with the help of Elise's step by step. 

It all started coming together & looking like a table runner - I was so so pleased I didn't screw this up.

That was it, it was FINISHED - I did it all the way, It's not perfect but I made it and I couldn't be happier with it and myself for following through.

I made a comment to my Husband Tyler when he got home work and I said "oh do you like my new table runner I bought from pottery barn"? He got up looked at it - "It was only $100.00" I added. Then I bursted out laughing "um NO dear I made it 100% mine - I did it"! He said "how did you make it"? I proudly said My sewing machine - duh. 

So all in all I love it - I'm hooked, I will make more & keep at that binding. Thanks for reading my little sewing adventures! Thanks to a great mentor for her ecourse you can find here.

 

 

 

 
 

 

Comments

[Mel Blackburn]

Thanks for sharing your process Trisha! I'm just getting into the world of quilting, now I just want to go out and by more fabric to do a table runner!

[dawn]

I love your table runner, especially that it's a fall one. YAY for fall coming. One of my goals this year was to sew table runners with my mom teaching me. Sadly, she works two jobs and hasn't had the time and use of her sewing machine. Still hoping one day before 2015 is over. Good for you finishing it, LOOKS GREAT!!

Read your post below too, always nice to see your layouts. Clean and awesome!

[Gillian]

This post made me so happy! I've been quilting for a few years and I love the complete honesty of this project. Being a beginner is hard so thank you for putting your beginning out there. You scrapbook so beautifully and I'm just starting to learn how but with practice we will both improve at our crafts :)