Tree Runner

I am not a Christmas person, but I do love to decorate for winter. It adds personality to this old Victorian home during the bleak season. I’m obsessed with trees & mushrooms as they can stay out until Feb.

This runner was made with the liberty of London lines Merry & Bright and Woodland Christmas. There is no set pattern but here’s what I did, get creative and have fun.

Runner back ground was a 9 inch cut from a half yard piece of fabric, so it’s about 20 inch long once finished

To make the trees and mushrooms: Take some lightweight interfacing and draw triangles in various sizes, trunks, mushroom bottoms and tops making sure there’s around 1 inch between shapes. Cut the shapes leaving 1/2 inch around the drawn lines so you can sew and trim. Place on fabric with the fabric right side up,you will “trap” the fabric in the interfacing. For the trees and mushroom tops sew around the whole shape. Trim to 1/8 around the shape, make a slit in the centre of the interfacing and turn the shape right sides out. For the trunks and mushroom stems, you can leave the top open and turn through that. The tops will be tucked under the trees and mushroom tops to hide them.

Once they are turned tight side out, iron.

Lay out your back piece and place the trees and mushrooms where you want and pin in place.

Sew them by machine or hand to the background. I like to use the blanket stitch in my machine.

Once you have sewn them all down, add a boarder and finish as desired.

For appliqué shapes I like to draw the shapes on card stock so I can keep the templates. Mushroom and trees are easy as there’s no set shape. I have videos on my YouTube channel on how to make & sew the appliqués and how I finish runners

Sew Fundy YouTube

Sewing Projects · Table Runners

Tulip Runner

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Its spring and spring means pretty flowers! Here is how to make a quick and easy runner.

Tulip Blocks: I made 5, you can make as many as you want. Material for each block:

Size: 5 inch x 9 inch

Background (white):
(1) 3.5 inch
(2) 1.5 inch squares
(4) 2.5 inch squares
Draw a diagonal line on all background squares.

Tulip:
(1) 3.5 inch
(1) 2.5 X 5 inch

Leaf (green):
(2) 2.5 x 5 inch

Stem (green):
(1) 1.5 x 5 inch

Sashing: (6) 2 inch x 9 inch Strips in background (I used off white). (2) Strips of 2 inch background as long as your finished runner for top and bottom boarders.

Backing: as big as your finished runner. I used less then 1/2 yard.

Place the 3.5 white square on top of the 3.5 inch tulip square. Sew 1/4 inch away from the diagonal line. Repeat on the other side of the line. Cut on the line to make 2 half square triangles.

Place the two half square triangles side by side, make sure the bottom points are in line with each other, fold over top the other and sew the center seam.

The top of the tulip will look like this

Place the 1.5 inch white squares on top of the bottom corners of the 2.5×5 inch tulip piece. Sew directly on the line. Cut 1/4 inch away from the sewn line and fold the corners back.
Place the 2.5 inch white squares on the 2.5×5 inch leaf piece as shown. sew directly on the line, cut 1/4 inch away from the sewn line and fold back the corners.

Tulip top: Sew the two pieces together as shown.
Leave/stem: Set up as shown and sew together.
Last sew the top tulip flower to the bottom stem/leaf section. They may not match perfectly together, center the center of the tulip flower in the center of the stem, this will center it all. Sew the sections together
Trim to 5 inch wide / 9 inch long.

Sew the 2×9 background strips in between each tulip and the ends. Sew the top and bottom strips on.

Place on backing with good side down, sew all the way around leaving a turning gap. Turn right sides out, iron, sew close to the edge all the way around. Add trim like ricrac if desired.

Videos:

Tulip Runner: https://youtu.be/6JKLDEHzNiE

Tulip block: https://youtu.be/85R0sKtqImE

No Boarder backing: https://youtu.be/PYDMUE8-e14

Have fun!

Cath Kidston · Sewing Projects · Table Runners

Fun Christmas Runner

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I am a HUGE Cath Kidston fan, of the older style.. and when I saw these remnants from the textile factory in Portugal, I had to get them. They were small but also impossible to find any of these prints.

The useable portion was about 7 inch x 13 inch. When I opened the package these two prints (of course I had to buy others that they had!) were beside each other and screamed.. “Use me together!”

Blue polka dots and vintage ornaments.. Perfect for my holiday decorating, its all blue & silver, these will fit right in! So to figure out what to do with them.. Patchwork of course!

I figured 3 inch squares would make the most out of the material. I got 9 squares from a remnant, so I cut up two of them. I didn’t want to make it too big incase it didn’t turnout as my head figured it would. I cut 18 3 inch squares of the blue dots to match

Once laid out.. I was in love… soooooooo in love! Time to sew!

Soooo pretty! Onto press well and cut the backing

Once cut to size and trimmed, I sewed all around leaving a turning gap. I hate binding and will avoid it at all costs! There is also no batting .. I don’t like batting in my tableware if possible (pot holder aside) I find batting makes it look to “crafty”.

Time to turn it right side out and press again. I top stitched all the seam lines with simple stitch in the ditch and a 1/8 top stitch around the whole runner. It is honestly one of my favorite holiday textiles now.. loooove!

Other fun stuff lately.. a bunch of us went to see the Glenn Miller Orchestra in Moncton at the Capital Theatre. Amazing venue for it. The band is a continuation of the original and were absolutely amazing! If you are into swing, they are a must see!

Fun time had by all!

Till the next time, keep smiling.. and make things! Vall