How to Make a Fall Table Runner
- 1). Select your material and tassel. A thicker quilted material looks nicer. The drawback to the thick material is it creates a hazard on your table. If you normally sit at this table and drink coffee or tea and sit it on the edge of a thick runner, it can spill over. If you are making it for a table you don't normally use then it won't matter. You will want a fall pattern on your material or you can buy a plain fall color and use stencils and fabric paint to make your own theme. A nice gold or orange with leaves stenciled all the way down both sides look nice. Pick a colored tassel that complements your runner print and color. Gold usually works well with any color and goes along with the fall theme.
- 2). Measure your table length. You will want your table runner to hang over the edge of the table about 6 inches on each side. You may like it longer. Now to measure the width of the table, you will want part of each side of your table to show, get the measurement of the desired width. Figure the length by the table measurement plus the overhang on each side and add on 1 inch per side for the hem. Add 1 inch per side for your width measurement for the hem.
- 3). Cut your material to the length and width measurements. Turn over both ends an inch and then turn in a 1/2 inch and tuck it in. Pin with straight pins with the points of the pins facing in towards the center of the material. Sew up both ends. Now fold you piece of material in half and mark the center at both ends on the wrong side of the material. Fold both sides of the material in towards the wrong side, to form a triangle on the ends. Put a few hand stitches on the inside of your end pieces to keep the sides from coming out, keeping your triangle in place.
- 4). Turn your sides in 1 inch and then fold again, tucking in the 1/2 inch. Sew your side hems. Your basic table runner is now finished. To attach your tassels, You can sew a large button just inside the point on the end or you can use Velcro. Self stick Velcro is fine. Put one piece just inside the point and the other on the tassel string. When you need to launder your table runner take the tassels off and put them back on when it's done. This saves your tassels from getting tangled in the washer and dryer.
- 5). If you have painted your own material with a fall theme, you can also decorate it. Take some raffia and lay it the length of the runner on both sides. Have it be at random lengths, but overlap so it is continuous all the way down. Hand stitch over the raffia to the other side to hold it in place. You can also use small berry and gourd garland. This works better on a sofa table rather than a dining table. It's very different and your bound to get lots of compliments.
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