Patriotic Table Runner | Madam Sew

Patriotic Table Runner

Patriotic holidays are coming, and this easy table runner will provide a festive base for your table or buffet for an outdoor meal or breakfast in the kitchen. The blocks are 8-inches finished, set on point, and the runner measures 12 x 38 inches finished.

Patriotic Table Runner

Prepare your sewing area with your equipment. Sewing machine, with a 1/4-inch quilting foot and a walking foot for quilting, Thread, Needles, Straight Pins (Glass head pins preferred), Thread snips, Rotary Cutter 45mm, 6x24-inch ruler and mat, safety gloves, optional ruler grip, Iron and ironing board, and Wool Pressing Mat.

Cutting Instructions

Begin by pulling some patriotic prints and decide on your background color.

materials

Background light

six 5-inch squares

Red Print

three 5-inch squares

Blue Print

three 5-inch squares

Accent Print for alternate squares

two 9-1/2-inch squares

Border Print

four WOF (width of fabric) strips 2-1/2-inches wide for border

Additional fabric for backing and binding

Assembly Instructions

Pair three red print squares with three background squares. Pair three blue print squares with three background squares. Using the technique you learned in my post on Making Half Square Triangles, make 12 HSTs. Press to the darker side and square up to 4-1/2-inches.

making half square triangles

Using two red HST units, and two blue HST units, make pinwheel blocks.

make pinweheel blocks

Careful sewing the seam though the little x made from sewing the HSTs together will make perfect points.

careful sewing the seam

Press to the darker side on all the units.

press on all units

Now when you put two units together, the seams will nest.

put two units together

Spin the seams to reduce bulk in the center by picking out the stitches from the raw edge to the stitching line.

stitches from the raw edge to the stitching line

Open the seam in both directions to create a small square on the underside.

create small square on the underside

Cut the large squares of accent fabric in half diagonally.

cut large squares

Arrange the triangles around the pinwheel blocks set on point.

arrange the triangle around the pinwheel

Sew by aligning the straight edges of one triangle and one pinwheel.

align the straight edges

Repeat for the other units, then sew together. The center pinwheel will have two triangles sewn, one to each side.

the center pinwheel will have two triangles sewn

Trim, making sure that there is a quarter-inch seam allowance past the pinwheels.

trim the excess

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The borders on this project are applied in a log cabin style. I do not usually advocate doing borders like this as it tends to create excess fabric in the border. But on a small project, it is manageable. Be sure the border is pinned and sewn carefully to minimize stretching of the bias edges on the accent blocks. Begin with one long side, apply the border with some excess past the point on the edge.

border applied to log cabin style

Pin and carefully sew. Sew with the border down next to the feed dogs to minimize stretching of the bias edges of the accent triangles. Press. Then, using the next edge of the table topper, trim the excess even with the line created by the edge.

trim the excess even with the line created by the edge

Trim the excess with your rotary cutter.

Trim the excess with your rotary cutter.

Align the next side across the border just sewn and along the line of the next edge.

Sew, press and trim as before.

Continue in this manner until the border is applied all the way around the project.

Quilt as desired. You can use free motion loops, a design of your choice, quilt straight lines with a walking foot or whatever you like. Binding these angles work the same as with the usual 90-degree angles of a rectangular or square quilt. The only difference is your fold won’t be on the same line as the edge. As you come to a point, stop at the midpoint of the corner, and tie off your threads. Fold the binding back on itself perpendicular to the corner point.

Then fold again along the next edge.

This bit of excess created is just the right amount to miter the edge over the corner and stitch to the back in the usual manner. See my post on Finishing a Quilt with Binding for more detailed instruction. Complete by securing the binding on the back by hand or machine. All done and ready to enjoy!!

Plus for more small projects, see my travel set series here on Madam Sew - click on Lingerie Case / Book Cover, Jewelry Roll, Curling Iron Case, Cosmetic Bag, and Shoe Case. I have even more fun projects on the Madam Sew Blog, check out my Wool Pressing Mat Carrier, Through the Window Wall Hanging, Crazy Quilted Christmas Stocking, and Creative Pincushions. Put your embroidery machine to work with my Embroidered Wall Hanging project.

I’ll be doing more articles to advance your quilting skills on Madam Sew. Subscribe to the Madam Sew blog so you don’t miss a thing!

Stop by my blog for more easy projects.
Carole
FromMyCarolinaHome.com

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4 comments

Thanks for sharing, that is lovely.. and so well explained..

Dianne

I only wish I had a computer to be able to get your beautiful patterns I am 84& have just started to learn quilting I have written down yourdesignthetable runner it looks great i hope i can give it a go thank youfromAustralia.

Valerie N Naglic

I want to take part in the Madam Sew blog. Also how do I save the directions given ?

Ellen Gano

I’m anxious to join the blog and see what people are doing and join the other Madem sew groups

Ellen Gano

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