Christmas Cracker Table Runner

CHRISTMAS APPLIQUÉ TABLE RUNNER

Hi all. It’s Lauren here from Molly and Mama and I’m gearing up for a hot, sunny Christmas Down Under. Nothing is more festive than a dining table set for Christmas dinner. Bring some Christmas cheer to the table with this sweet and simple table runner, featuring Christmas Cracker appliqués at each end!

FINISHED SIZE: 48″ x 12″

Dimensions are given for the table runner I stitched, but you can adjust the measurements to fit your table or your size preferences.

MATERIALS REQUIRED

• 50″ x 14″ Christmas fabric for the backing
• Two 12.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles of white fabric
• Ten 12.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles of different Christmas prints
• four 7″ x 4″ scraps for the cracker appliqué
• 130″ bias binding OR enough 2″ strips x width of fabric to join to make 130″ of completed quilt binding
• 40″ of 3/8″ wide ribbon
• 13″ x 8″ HeatnBond Lite Fusible Adhesive
• 50″ x 14″ rectangle of Stitch’n’Sew Sew-In Fleece
• Print out of the template
• Basting Adhesive Spray
• General sewing supplies, including a rotary cutter, acrylic ruler and self-healing cutting mat

INSTRUCTIONS

Arrange the 12.5″ x 4.5″ rectangles of fabrics into a long strip. Place a white rectangle second from the end at both ends. Once you are happy with the arrangement, sew the strips together along the 12.5″ sides. Press the seams open or towards the darker print fabrics.

Print out a copy of the Christmas Cracker template with no scaling or cropping.

Trace the shapes onto the paper side of the HeatnBond Lite and roughly cut out each shape. You will need two cracker shapes and two of each of the end pieces.

Following the instructions on the pack, iron the fusible HeatnBond lite onto the wrong side of your fabric scraps for the crackers. Cut out the shapes on the line.

Peel off the backing paper and position a cracker shape and two end pieces (to make a full cracker) on each of the white fabric pieces in your strip. Ensure they are centered and that the cracker shapes overlap the narrow part of the cracker ends. Iron in place.

Use your favorite technique to appliqué the shapes in place in contrasting or coordinating colors. I used a small blanket stitch function on my sewing machine. The top of the runner is now complete.

Press the runner top and backing fabric.

Assemble the table runner into a quilt sandwich. Use the Basting Adhesive Spray to secure the Stitch’n’Sew Sew-In Fleece to the wrong side of the Christmas fabric backing.

TIP: To use up your scraps of fleece, join them together with a large wide zig-zag stitch to make up the required length.

Use the basting spray on the wrong side of the runner top and center this over the other side of the fleece to make a quilt sandwich. The fleece and backing fabric will be wider than the runner to leave room for quilting.

Quilt your quilt sandwich using your favorite method. I used widely spaced, wavy line quilting. If using this method be sure not to quilt over the Christmas crackers!

Trim the completed quilt sandwich to remove the excess backing and fleece and to even up the edges and sides. My trimmed panel measured 48″ x 12″.

Bind the edges of the table runner with 130″ of binding, using your preferred method. You can make your own binding by joining 2″ strips of the width of the fabric. Alternatively, use pre-made bias binding like I did (I love the candy cane stripe effect which was perfect for this Christmas themed project).

Align the raw edges of the binding on the top of the table runner and stitch in place, being careful to mitre the corners and join the binding carefully at the end. Hand stitch the binding in place on the back of the runner.

From the ribbon, tie and cut four similarly sized bows. Heat seal the ends to prevent fraying.

With a needle and thread, hand stitch a bow to the end of each cracker shape, being careful to keep the stitches invisible and hidden on the front of the table runner.

Your table runner is now complete and ready to adorn your festive table!

HAPPY STITCHING!

I really enjoyed designing this festive and fun project. You might like to stop by my blog and check out the other simple tutorials I have there. You’ll find tips for appliqué, working with wool felt, English paper piecing and more.

If you make the table runner, be sure to share it with me. I get such a buzz out of seeing my designs in the wild! Visit me on Facebook or share it on Instagram and tag @mollyandmama. Use the hashtags #thermoweb #heatnbond  and #mollyandmama.

Happy stitching, Lauren x