TUTORIAL: Fall Table Runner with TREAT POCKETS

I have been looking around at all the cute Fall table runners in the stores lately and got INSPIRED! Don't you love all the FALL colors? Red, orange and gold just EXCITE me about the new season ahead!

Rather than spending a small fortune on a new table runner, I knew I could make one for just a few dollars so I headed to the fabric store. I found this modern take on fall with this red berry blossom print and a small red polk-a-dotted fabric for the end panels. There is a little surprise in this table runner for everyone at the table, so KEEP READING to find out what it is!

Table Runner Tutorial

(with TREAT POCKETS - and that doesn't need to mean candy!)

1. Measure your table to figure out how long you want your table runner to be. (I wanted mine to be 72 inches long.)

2. Figure out how wide you want your table runner to be. (I wanted mine to be 13 inches wide.)

So I want my table runner to be 72 inches long x 13 inches wide when finished.


Gather materials: 7/8 yards main fabric, 1/4 yard coordinating fabric for end panels, scissors, pins, straight edge/ruler, sewing machine, thread

3. CUT YOUR FABRIC:

Cut two pieces of your main fabric to: 31 inches x 14 inches

Cut two panels to: 7.5 inches x 14 inches

*I have already included your hems and seam allowances.

TIME TO SEW!

5. Lay your two main fabric pieces right sides together and pin along one short end.

6. Sew along your pinned edge using a 1/2 inch seam allowance and remove the pins as you sew. Serge or zig-zag stitch your edges. Press seam to the side with an iron.

7. Lay your main fabric right side up. Lay one panel on the left end and one on the right end. Match up your raw edges and pin.

8. Sew down your pinned edges and remove the pins as you sew. Serge or zig-zag stitch your edges. Press seams to the side with an iron.

9. Iron and pin a 1 inch hem around all sides. Sew along your pinned edges. Remove pins as you sew.

10. TIME FOR THE TREAT POCKETS! I have two little kids that love surprises so I thought it would be fun to make four pockets on our table runner (one where each person sits).

Cut out FOUR pieces that are 5 inches x 6 inches.

11. Hem 3 sides of the pocket pieces with a 1 inch hem. Sew around all three sides.

12. Place your pockets right side up on your table runner. You will do this at the left and right end of your table runner and at the top and bottom of the middle of your table runner. Fold under the raw edge one inch and place that end 1/2 inch away from the edge of your table runner. Pin pocket into place.

13. Sew along three sides of the pocket to secure using a 1/8 inch seam allowance. Backstitch 3 times at the beginning and ending points. Leave the top open so your pocket will be able to hold a treat!

16. Lay it on your table and sneak in a treat! Next time your little ones head to the table get ready to hear their sweet giggles!!

Things you can put in the pockets: stickers, markers, crayons, stamps, ink pads, notebooks, stencils, silly Halloween socks or even an I LOVE YOU note! And for the morning after Halloween, how about a new toothbrush? :)

Happy Fall!!

Jenny

New PATTERNS coming soon in the pattern shop for FALL! Yay!!

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