It's a month of runners....and Pauline and her hens are a pecking...

Thank you Madame Samm for inviting me back.
I'm Pauline, I live in Canton Michigan and 
blog at QuiltnQueen.
I've never been a talkative one or a social butterfly in a crowd
and at times it is pretty quiet on my blog.
 I do love reading your blogs, 
blogging and sharing my quilting projects with all of you!!!
♥ ♥  ♥ ♥ ♥  ♥ ♥ ♥  ♥ 
Today I'm going to share a 'quilt as you go'  tutorial for
a table runner....it is quick and easy!
If you are not a fan of 'quilt as you go' quilting method,
this runner can be made....using the same measurements
in the traditional manner...
piece, sandwich, and quilt...(o: 

Let's begin.....

I will be using the following fabrics to make the 13" x 36.5" table runner...

Helpful tips:

• a walking foot will be your best friend for this project
• set stitch length at 2.8 - 3.0, you don't want it too small just in case you have to do the unthinkable....... unstitch.
• I did not baste the batting and backing, you may want to if this is your first 'quilt as you go' project...just remember to keep the backing taunt, so you do not stitch in any 'little puckers'.
• pin, pin, pin...I know a lot of you don't like to pin but it really does help
• I used insul-brite instead of batting for this runner and it worked great.  I like the idea of being able to put hot dishes on the table and not have to worry about damaging the table...not that it doesn't have character marks already...because it does have lots....(o: 

Materials needed:

• 4 - 5" x 5" squares of a focus fabric
• 5 - 5" x 2.5" rectangles of coordinating fabric
• 2 - 1.5" x wof (width of fabric) for inner border
• 3 - 3.5" x wof for outer border
• 16" - 18" x wof for backing
• batting approximately the same size as your backing or slightly smaller
• 3 - 2.5" x wof for binding....or 2.25" x wof for a narrower binding.

Lets get started....

• Press your backing fabric and place right side down
• Place batting on top of the wrong side of backing fabric
• Determine the center of the batting/backing vertically and horizontally
• Draw 2 lines 5" wide across the center point of the batting...that would be 2.5" above and 2.5" below the center point
• Center one of the rectangles in the center of the 2 lines

• Stitch 1 focus  5" square to each side of the centered rectangle, flip square right side up before adding the second square to the rectangle, press the squares.

• Continue stitching the rectangles and squares together, press each block after stitching 
• Use the 2 lines you marked as centering lines as a guide to keep the pieces centered
• When adding each rectangle or square keep the backing taunt 
• Pin, stitch, flip and press each rectangle or square......keeping them taunt also and check your backing before adding the next rectangle or square.
• add even number of blocks and rectangles to each side of the center rectangle.

• you may find it easier to roll the sides of the runner as you sew...the red you see is actually the backing 

• to add the borders, measure the length of the of the top and bottom.  It should measure approximately 28.5".
• stitch borders in place

• flip borders....right side up and press

• your back should look like this......you don't want any 'little puckers' so always check the stitching on the back before you add the next pieces

•  measure for the side inner borders, should be approximately 7",  pin, and keep the backing taunt
• you are now ready to measure for the outer border, mine measured 30.5" and add them the same way you added the inner border......see all those pins....they help to eliminate the dreaded 'unstitching'.  Yes I had to unstitch, yes I did, a couple of times.  

• flip border and press
• measure for side outer border and pin, pin, pin, stitch, flip and press
• I pinned the outer edge and machine basted around the table runner before I squared it for the binding.

• I have not quilted the border, I still may add some straight line quilting or do a little free hand quilting in the border.
• Apply your binding your usual way.  If you need help with binding I have a tutorial that you may find useful.   It was my first tutorial for Sew We Quilt. 

If you have never tried the 'quilt as you go method'
this is a small project the goes together quickly.
The runner looks like you quilted it using the 'stitch in the ditch' method.





I stitched a second runner using the traditional method
'piece, sandwich and quilt'.
I stitched in the ditch and straight line quilted the outer border.





This is an easy runner that has potential for lots of creativity...
...you can vary the center with a single block measuring 28.5" x 5" of a focus fabric 
or you can use a light background fabric and 
stitch 4 small embroidery patterns in the 5" squares or 
stitch little appliques in the 5" squares or
use a single block and embroider or applique on a 28.5" x 5" light background fabric 
and use a print for the outer border.


Give it a try and if the 'quilt as you go' method is not for you
remember, you can always use the same measurements 
to make the table runner using the traditional quilting method 
....piecing, sandwich, quilt by hand or machine 


I hope you will give it a try.

 I would love for you to visit me at QuiltnQueen.


Are you into chickens??
I will be giving one of the table runners away on my blog.
Please come visit and leave me a comment.

Happy Stitching