A table runner can add the finishing touch to a dinner table. This easy-to-stitch runner is made from a bold, modern fabric and will work equally well laid on top of a plain-coloured tablecloth or straight onto the table for a more informal look. If there is no obvious lengthways pattern, you can economise on fabric by cutting the fabric across the width, joining two widths together to make a long strip if necessary.
Take 1.5-cm/½-in. seam allowances throughout unless otherwise stated.
1½ hours
1. Decide how long you want the runner to be. Cut two pieces of patterned fabric 3 cm/½ in. longer than this measurement and 33 cm/13 in. wide.
2. Cut two pieces of plain fabric the same length as the patterned fabric and 11 cm/4 in. wide. With right sides together, pin and machine stitch one plain piece along each side of one of the patterned pieces. Press the seams open.
3. With right sides together, pin and machine stitch the second piece of patterned fabric to the remaining raw edges of the plain fabric pieces to form a tube. Carefully press the seams open.
4. Pin across the short ends of the runner, making sure that the seams of the patterned fabrics align and that you have an even-sized border of plain fabric on each side. Machine stitch along one short end of the runner and turn right side out.
5. Turn under 1.5 cm/½ in. on the open end of the runner and hand stitch closed. Press carefully.
6. Following the manufacturer’s instructions, cover the buttons with patterned fabric. Hand stitch three buttons to each end of the runner, spacing them evenly across the patterned fabric.
