Make this darling Halloween table runner!

Celebrate the spooky season by creating a table setting using this Halloween table runner.

It's made of 4 different traditional quilt blocks using fun Halloween fabrics.

The table runner measures approximately 13 1/2" X 46 1/2"

The quilt blocks used in this project are the Greek Cross, a Sawtooth Star variation, a Double Monkey Wrench (aka Churn Dash) and an Uneven 9 Patch.

Go ahead and check out the tutorials for each of the blocks.

This tutorial is how to put them all together into a table runner.

We'll learn:

How to piece the top together
How to make a quilt sandwich
How to quilt the top (with a sewing machine!)
How to make and add the binding

HALLOWEEN TABLE RUNNER TUTORIAL

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FABRIC AND SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR QUILTING

What makes this table runner Halloween is simply the fabric used. You can use any Halloween prints, or color choices to make it.

I chose Meow-gical Night by Michael Davis for Wilmington Prints.

Changing up the fabric will allow you to create a table runner for any season, or just to match your decor.

FABRIC NEEDED FOR A TABLE RUNNER PROJECT

a layer cake (I will have plenty leftover for other projects)
3/4 yards black fabric (for sashing and binding)
3/4 yard backing fabric (with one seam to form back - or 1 1/3 yard if you don't want a seam.)
3/4 yard batting

SUPPLIES NEEDED FOR QUILTING

Below are the basic quilting tools I recommend.

thread
rotary cutter / cutting mat / straight edge
sewing machine (This is my new machine that I absolutely love!)
sewing scissors
pencil
iron and ironing board

FABRIC MEASUREMENTS FOR A TABLE RUNNER

Below are the cut measurements for your table runner. The quilt blocks were pieced beforehand.

4) 9 1/2" quilt blocks
13) 2 1/2" X 9 1/2" strips
10) 2 1/2" squares
1 piece batting 15 1/2" X 48 1/2" (not shown)
1 piece backing 15 1/2" x 48 1/2" (not shown)

quilt blocks and fabric needed for table runner

HOW TO MAKE A TABLE RUNNER

Let's get started. This project is a great one for beginners.

Although it is simple, this tutorial is quite long.

That's because I tried to explain each step thoroughly so that anyone, no matter their skill level, could be successful.

I also created a video, so go ahead and watch that as well.

ASSEMBLING THE TOP

Layout the pieces for the table runner.

Arrange the quilt blocks in a horizontal line in the order you'd like them to be.

Add the sashing strips to all sides of the blocks.
Add the cornerstone pieces to the corners of all the blocks.

sewing together strips of the table runner top

Next, Sew together the columns.

Sew the sashing strip on the left to the two cornerstone squares.

Sew two sashing strips to the top and bottom of the quilt block.

Repeat until all columns are sewn together.

Press all seams toward the sashing fabric.

Next, sew the columns together.

Make sure you sew right sides together and nest the seams as you go for perfect points and a flat block.

MAKING A QUILT SANDWICH

Once the table runner top is all sewn together, it's time make a quilt sandwich.

For a small project like this, you will want your backing and batting to be about 2 inches larger than the top.

The table runner top should measure approximately 13 1/2" X 46 1/2".

So cut your backing and batting to be 15 1/2" X 48 1/2".

Note: You can sew together two pieces for the back if needed, to create the correct size.

Place the quilt backing with the right side face down.

Add the batting on top.

Place the quilt top on next, with the right side face up.

The quilt top should be centered on the previous layers with about 1 inch of the bottom layers showing on each side.

Pin together all layers with pins.

quilt basted together using basting pins

I like using these special quilting pins, or basting pins. You can see on on the black cat in the picture above. They are curved and designed to be easy to pin and scoop back up through the fabric.

You can totally use regular safety pins if that is what you have.

QUILTING THE TABLE RUNNER WITH A SEWING MACHINE

Something that often intimidates me with quilting projects is the actual quilting. I do not have a long-arm machine. (Maybe one day!)

So I try to utilize my sewing machine whenever possible.

Lately, I have been using a diagonal sewing method to quilt my small projects.

sewing lines marked with a piece of painters tape

Here's how I do it.

I place a piece of painters tape (masking tape works too) on top of the quilt at an angle.

Note: You can use a variety of widths of tape, depending on what you have or how close together you want your stitching to be.

For this project I used a 60 degree angle and used a ruler to line up the first placement.

Then I stitch along both sides of the tape using the largest stitch length my machine allows.

Then I move the tape so that the edge of the tape is placed along the previously lined stitch and sew on the other side.

Continue on until the entire project has been quilted.

This is what it will look like.

I decided for this project to make a crosshatch type design.

So I lined up my tape in a 60 degree angle in the opposite direction.

Then stitched along the tape, moving along to sew along the whole quilt.

This created a diamond effect.

You can see it best on the back side of the quilt.

Next trim off the extra back and batting using a long quilting ruler.

HOW TO MAKE BINDING

For the binding, cut 3 strips of fabric. They should be 2 1/2" wide by the whole width of the fabric.

You're total inches, when added together lengthwise should be 130. So depending on the width of your fabric you might need 4 strips.

Next, let's sew the strips together into one very long strip.

Place one strip horizontally. Place another strip vertically. The pieces should overlap slightly.

Stitch from where the fabric meets on the left hand top side, to where it meets on the right hand bottom side. (As depicted with the dotted line in the image above.)

Trim away the fabric on the triangle side of the stitching leaving about 1/4".
Fold open the strip and press flat.

Next press the binding in half lengthwise down the whole length of the strip.

Note: Be sure the seam allowance from your joined pieces is on the inside of the fold!

ADDING THE BINDING TO THE TABLE RUNNER

Now it's time to add the binding to the table runner.

This whole process is a little hard to capture with pictures and words. So be sure to check out the video if you need clarification.

A few things to note:

Don't start adding the binding right at the corner, Start at least 10-12 inches from the corner. You could start right in the middle if you want.
Don't start sewing right at the edge of the binding. Leave 6-7 inches extra.
I have marked with a pin where I start sewing.
Make sure the raw edges of the binding line up with the raw edges of the quilt. The folded edge should face towards the middle of the quilt.
Sew the binding to the top of the quilt.
Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Stitch the binding to the quilt. When you come to a corner, stop 1/4 inch away from the end.

Fold the binding fabric so that it lays horizontally. It should be folded at approx. a 45 degree angle.

Then fold the fabric back on top of itself with the folded edge along the side you just sewed. And the binding lined up with the new side you will start sewing.

Sew along the side with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Repeat this process for each corner.

Do not sew all the way back to where you started. Leave a good 8-10 inches.

Lay the beginning end of the binding along the quilt.

Add a scrap of the binding (pre-fold) with the top edge along the edge of the binding.

Lay the other end of the binding (the part you barely finished sewing) down on top of the scrap.

Cut that piece of binding along the bottom edge of the scrap.

This is probably the hardest part to explain.

Take the top piece of the binding. Open the fold and place it down on the table. The fold will open face down.

Take the bottom piece of binding. Open the fold and place it on top of the other piece of binding. The fold will open face up.

Arrange the two pieces so that they overlay (just as we did to make the binding strips) and sew diagonally from where the two pieces meet starting at the top left corner and finishing at the bottom right corner.

Allow the binding to fall back into place. If it looks as above it is correct. If not, unpick and watch the video to get it right.

Trim the extra from the seam. Then stitch the last portion of the binding to the quilt.

Now all that's left to do is to hand stitch the binding to the back side of the table runner. I use a blind stitch to do this.

Want to watch the video? ↓↓Click the link ↓↓

→HALLOWEEN TABLE RUNNER←

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Don't forget to pin it!!