make it yourself: Modern 4th of July Table Runner

Here is a modern patchwork table runner just in time to celebrate Independence Day.  It looks improvisational, but it is really cleverly cut strips that give that illusion.  It is easy to piece and you can quilt with a free motion design or straight stitching.  I wanted something festive for the holiday for my table at the cottage when we have company and this fits the bill.  Fat quarter friendly too!

Finished size is 12” x 30”.

what you will need:

• 2 fat quarters of different red cotton fabric
• 2 fat quarters of different blue cotton fabric
• 1 fat quarter of white cotton fabric (I found a white star on white, perfect!)
• 1/3 yd batting
• 1/3 yd backing, cotton patriotic print
• 1/4 yd red cotton for binding
• Coordinating thread
• Walking foot (optional)

what you will need to do:

Cut the Fabric

1. From first red cotton fabric, cut 1 strip 4” x21”
2. From 2^nd red cotton fabric, cut 1 strip 4 ½” x 21”
3. From first blue cotton fabric, cut 1 strip 4” x 21”
4. From 2^nd blue cotton fabric, cut 1 strip 5 ½” x 21”
5. From white fabric, cut 1 strip 6” x 21” and 1 strip 4” x 21”
6. Cut batting 12” x 31”
7. Cut backing 12” x 31” (I found this great patriotic print with an eagle for the back.)
8. Cut the binding.  3 strips – 2 1/2″ x wof (width of fabric)

Sew the table runner

1. Sew the strips together.  The first 3 strips are the 4” red, 6” white, 4” blue.
2. The second set of 3 strips are the 4 ½” red, 4” white, 5 ½” blue.
3. Iron seams to one side and iron flat.
4. Place one combination strip over the other strip, aligning the edges.  Cut 2” strips across them, you should have 10 – 2 “ strips.
5. You will sew 5 sets of strips together with the 4” blue on the left top, and the 5 ½” blue on the left bottom.
6. You will sew 5 sets of strips together with the 4” red on the top left, and the 4 ½” red on the left bottom.
7. Now sew 1 of each set together to form a quilt block.  See picture above.
8. Carefully remove lovey dovey kitty who thinks you should be petting him instead of sewing.
9. Sew 5 of these blocks together.
10. Then sew all the quilt blocks together in the same pattern.
11. Make a quilt sandwich with the backing face down, then the batting, then the pieced top face up.
12. Pin baste the table runner.
13. Quilt it as desired.  I tried using a free motion design with stars, but you could also just do straight line quilting.  Use a stitch length of 4.0 mm and use your free motion foot for the straight line quilting if you have one to keep the fabric from slipping.
14. Sew the binding pieces together and iron them  in half.
    
15. Stitch the binding to the front of the table runner.  Then fold it over to the back and whip stitch it down.  Or use your favorite binding method.

The perfect modern 4th of July Table Runner in red, white and blue to brighten up your holiday table, foyer or side table.

(The post make it yourself: Modern 4th of July Table Runner first appeared on The Good Weekly.)