I Made a Table Runner

...Well actually, I made 1 1/2 table runners (before my time expired and Christmas gift-giving began!) with the help of my new {old} Singer machine.
I had a hay day at the fabric store (which is more like a warehouse of thousands of choices) where I grabbed lots of my favorite samples. Then I picked 2 neutrals {you'll see the butter yellow and taupe} to make the runner two-sided.
I roughly cut up the samples into rectangles and added a few samples I had at home {remember my roman shade and dining chairs? and my cornice boxes?}

I sewed on patchwork blocks out of the samples at the ends of my neutral fabrics, making sure my modern:traditional and earthtones:bolds ratios felt right.

Then putting the two long neutral pieces together with the sample-sides {pretty-sides} face to face or inside out, I sewed all the way around the perimeter except leaving 6 inches open for me to flip it back right-side-out. Got all that?

Okay, now it feels like a table runner!

I poked out all the corners with my scissor tips, ironed it flat {cautious of the not-yet-sewn part}, and then sewed all the way around the perimeter.

I love that the patchy, loose look allowed me to make lots of little rookie mistakes. It has character :)

And it was a really fun surprise for my sister {this guy's mama} and mama {this one's mama}

You can make one, too. It's quite fun--and now I see see skirts, pillows, and jackets with new eyes as my appreciation for the art of sewing has increased tenfold.

{Two runners are shown, 54" x 14"}