Christmas Countdown - 23 more days!

Our project today is table runners.  They make great gifts not only for Christmas but any time of the year.  A table runner can be a quilted masterpiece or a simple piece of cloth with an embellishment on the ends. 

This weekend I finished a few Christmas table runners.  The first one is a pattern I have done in the past using a fat eighths fabric package.  This one I cut the same sizes but from my fabric stash.  (I am trying to use up all of my Christmas fabric so I can of course buy some more.)

Fat Eighths Pattern

I wanted a scrappy look with a fair amount of white to it give a bright feel. 

Keyhole Block Front

This pattern is the keyhole block I have used on several projects in the past. (The Gift and The Scotty Dog)
I used all of my Christmas fabrics from my stash. It created a nice scrappy look with lots of red and green.  I might just have to keep this one.

Keyhole Block - Back



I pieced the back to create a simple color block look.  This way you get a two for one table runner.

 

After I created the first two table runners I was talking to a friend and she said she liked a narrow runner.  This allowed for it to be in the center of the table and still have room for plates on each side.  I thought about this and it made perfect sense.  I have always used a runner on a table that was not my dining room table.  So it did not occur to me that a narrow one would be necessary.  Here is the narrow runner I made.

 

  It measures approximately 11 1/2 inches wide.  I used the subway tile brick pattern with only three fabrics.  The multi colored fabric with the black background was a small piece I had in my stash.  I added a green tone on tone and a red tone on tone fabric to accompany the small piece.  Only using three fabrics seems to make a bolder statement. 

When I added the simple black border it really made all of the colors pop!  I think this would be a great pattern to use for a baby quilt. For the back I did not have enough of the multi colored fabric so I only used the red and green with a tiny strip of black on each end.  This once again gives you a two for one runner.

 

With 23 days until Christmas you still have time to create a table runner for someone on your list, or for your own home.

 

Danna