Give your Thanksgiving table a charmingly rustic feel with this cheerful gingham table runner. Designed to be fully reversible, this quilted table runner pattern from Debbie von Grabler-Crozier is completed with wool felt applique pumpkins and gathered ruffled trim. Choose a color-coordinating backing fabric in a festive fall pattern for a streamlined alternative for your upcoming holiday celebrations.
Designer Note: Seam allowances are all 1/4” and have already been added.
Materials:
- Fabric: (Note: Fabrics are all by Art Gallery Fabrics.)
- 1 yd. gingham fabric in a warm fall color. The designer loves Plaid of my Dreams Toasty by AGF.
- 1/2 yd. floral lining fabric. Debbie used Retro Road Trip from the Shine On collection by Sharon Holland for AGF.
- TIP: This runner is fully reversible with an appliqué pumpkin on the plaid side. A gorgeous floral is a great choice for the lining.
- Interfacing:
- 1 1/2 yds. G740 fusible interfacing (Vlieseline). This is a very lightweight cheese cloth weight interfacing.
- Fat quarter wool felt in orange, rich brown and green
- Dark brown thread for the embroidery
- Coordinating threads for all fabrics and trims
- Fabric glue
- Scissors
- Fabric marking tools
- Extra feet for your sewing machine (darning foot, for example)
- PDF Template – This is located at the bottom of this page. See printing instructions below.
PRINTING INSTRUCTIONS:
To download the PDF template, click on the download button at the bottom of the page. We recommend opening your download using Adobe Acrobat.
Cutting Instructions:
From the gingham fabric:
- 1 piece 14 1/2” wide x 43 1/2” long for the runner front panel
- 2 pieces 6 1/2” wide x 29 1/2” long for the ruffles
From the lining fabric:
- 1 piece 14 1/2” wide x 43 1/2” long for the lining panel
From the wool felt:
- 2 pumpkin shapes using the template
- 2 leaf shapes using the template
From the interfacing:
- 2 pieces 14 1/2” wide x 43 1/2” long for the front and lining panel interfacing
Piecing Instructions:
MAKING:
Interfacing:
- Fuse a piece of interfacing to the wrong side of both of the main panels.
- TIP: This lightweight interfacing makes the runner a more substantial weight and the appliqué easier.
Appliqué:
- Cut the appliqué pieces (pumpkin, leaf, and stem) from the relevant felt colors and lightly glue them to each end of the gingham. The appliqué should be central and 3” in from each end.
- Set up your machine for free motion embroidery (FME). Most modern machines can do this but they are all a little different so check your manual. You will need to either set the stitch length to zero or drop the feed dogs. Use the darning foot and thread the needle with dark brown thread.
- Stitch the appliqué pieces with the dark brown thread about 1/8” in from the outer edge. Stitch the leaf veins and the detail on the pumpkin. Snip any threads away.
- TIP: The template has the details on it and these are best put onto the felt with a removable marker.
- Repeat for the appliqué on the other end of the runner.
Making the Ruffle:
- Fold a ruffle piece in half with the right sides facing and stitch both short ends.
- Turn the strip the right way out and press to obtain a crisp fold.
- Gather the ruffle so that it is 14” long. Repeat for the other ruffle.
Putting It All Together:
- Attach a gathered ruffle to the right side of one of the ends of the gingham panel. Position the ruffle ends 1/4” in from either end.
- Attach the ruffle and repeat for the other end.
- Pin or clip the lining panel to the front panel with the right sides facing. The ruffle will be in between the layers.
- Sew all around the edge of the runner, leaving a turning gap somewhere on the side. Clip across the corners to reduce bulk.
- Turn out through the gap and close it with a neat hand stitch.
- Topstitch twice right around the runner’s edges. The first pass at 1/8” and the second at 1/4” from edge seam joins.
