Set a pretty table for your Valentine with this quilted table runner. It looks complicated but the secret is experimenting with your machine’s decorative stitches on a striped fabric using Coats Trilobal Machine Embroidery thread. Sew decorative stitches following the stripes to create a new fabric. If you’re looking for an opportunity to play with the decorative stitches in your machine, here’s the perfect venue. Pick a striped fabric and simply follow the lines to create this colorful quilted table runner. Project by Linda Turner Griepentrog Finished Size of Project: 13″ x 28 1/2″ Supplies Coordinating colors of Dual Duty XP All-Purpose thread Coats; Trilobal Polyester Embroidery thread1/2 yd lengthwise striped fabric 1/2 yd backing fabric 1/4 yd binding fabric 1/2 yd fusible stabilizer, 36″ wide 18″ x 34″ batting Machine embroidery needle Walking foot (optional) Cutting From the striped fabric, cut: 1 rectangle, 14″ x 34″ From the binding fabric, cut: 2 strips, 2 1/4″ x 42″ From the fusible stabilizer, cut: 1 rectangle 14″ x 34″ Preparing the Table Runner 1. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, fuse the stabilizer to the wrong side of the striped fabric. 2. Thread the machine embroidery needle and bobbin with machine embroidery thread. 3. Selecting the stitches and positioning at random, sew along the stripes, centering the design across the width. Stitch as many stripes as you want and vary the stitch sequence across the fabric width. The featured fabric is embellished with red thread on each aqua stripe, and the white and red stripes remain unstitched. This stitch patterning can vary greatly depending on the stripe of your fabric and the colors. 4. Press the embellished fabric and cut the following pieces: 2 rectangles, 7 3/4″ x 12 1/2″ with stripes along the 12 1/2″ edge 2 rectangles, 5 3/4 x 12 1/2″ with stripes along the 5 3/4″ edge 1 rectangle, 4 1/2″ x 13″ with stripes along the 13″ edge Assembling the Runner 1. Sew together one 7 3/4″ x 12 1/2″ rectangle and one 5 3/4″ x 12 1/2″ rectangle along the long edges. Repeat for the second set. Press seams open. 2. Center and sew the 4 1/2″ x 13″ rectangle between each of the pieced rectangles from step 1. Press seams open. 3. Lay the backing fabric wrong side up on the sewing surface and layer the batting on top, smoothing out any wrinkles. Top the stack with the pieced runner centered right side up. Pin the layers together. Finishing the Runner 1. Using a walking foot, if desired, and All-Purpose thread, quilt along the stripe lines 1″-2 1/2″ apart, depending on the stripe spacing. The featured runner is quilted along the red stripes with matching thread. 2. Trim the batting and backing to match the quilted runner top edges. 3. Sew the binding strips together end to end using a diagonal seam. Press the seam open. Press the binding in half, wrong sides together. 4. Bind the runner edges, mitering the corners. Hand stitch the underside to the runner backing. Downloadable PDF
