Run For Your Lives! Table Runner

This year, for Halloween I have been so into decorating.  Technically, I have been collecting decorations for years, but I just never really put them up, I just didn't see the point.  Now that Etta is here I am all over it, going crazy making our place feel Spooky and Halloweeny!

I put up the decor stuff in the front room and realized I needed something for the dining table.  So, I made a runner.  I pieced it together and have a new found respect for quilters!  It is hard to get everything exactly flat!  I had to pick out one too many seams!

Here is the basic how to: ( I must warn you that when I start a project I only have a basic idea of how I am going to accomplish it.  So tutorials from me, may be a little sketchy!  I have pictures where ever I can to help explain!)

Step 1.  Decide how wide and long you would like your runner to be.

Step 2.  Go pick out some fun fabric!  Preferably on sale!

Step 3. Cut fabric to width. I think mine was 15 inches.  Allow for seams, and possibly a little excess to cut off if lines aren't straight.

Step 4. Iron fabric, you will always be much happier with the final result if you iron!

Step 5. Begin at one end by cutting a diagonal line several inches in, on both colors of fabric.  This creates a 4 sided shape with two parallel edges and two that are not parallel ... (See picture below for idea of shape. Technically, they can be any shape you want!)

Step 6. Place straight ends together, good side to good side, and sew first seam.

Step 7. Press seams down with iron. I chose to sew over these seams for a little extra detail.

Step 8: Next, to continue on without a pattern, simply place the previously sewn piece face up on your cut fabric and cut along the edge. (see picture below)  Notice I have both good sides facing up.   That is how they will look laying flat out, so that is how you want to cut it.

Step 9.  Lay the new cut piece onto the runner, good sides together and sew the seam.  Then repeat steps 5 - 8 till you get your runner to the length you want. 

(FYI. None of my pieces are the same size, they are all different!)

Step 10.  Iron again.  Trim edges to make sure they are straight.

Step 11.  Cut 2 long strips of edging.  It should be twice the finished width you would like, plus seam allowances.  Put the good sides together and sew along the length of each side.

Step 12. Now, once the edging is sewn on to the good side, fold it in half and press that fold.  Then flip it over and turn the raw edge under and iron again.

Step 13.  Use a single piece of fabric the width and length of the quilted piece above and sew it on to the  back ... (sorry I don't have a picture for this.  I just put it right under the edge I ironed under and sewed it together)

Step 14. This is the sketchiest part, because I made a lot of mistakes... And was just lucky enough that it worked out.  It was all really just the trial and error.  Because of the mistakes I didn't take a lot of pictures but I drew out the steps I took, since explaining is too difficult!

You are done, so put it on your table and enjoy!