Feels Like Fall Blog Hop: Day 4

Welcome back for Day 4 of our Feels Like Fall Blog Hop! Today we're sharing a reversible table runner made using Greta Lynn's Fall Festival collection from Kanvas. This runner is the perfect design to showcase a large focal print, and the simple pieced back is a fun way to finish it off and provide a different look for your table, simply by flipping it over. Scroll down to the bottom of the post to find out how you can enter to win a fat quarter bundle of Fall Festival.

Hello! Fall Festival is just the essence of fall--so many great prints to choose from, plus matching plaid coordinates. We used the adorable owl print as the focal print for the runner, but the fruit print, leaves, or harvest print would work equally well. 

This tutorial uses the pillowcase method of finishing. If you'd prefer to quilt the runner and use a traditional binding, we've provided alternate measurements for the backing; you'll also need (5) 2-1/4" x 42" binding strips to finish it up.

Let's get started!

Materials:

1/2 yard green plaid

1/4 yard cream plaid

1/4 yard red plaid

2/3 yard owl print

1/6 yard each apple print, leaf print and harvest print

1 yard solid black (1-1/4 yards if not using the pillowcase method)

20" x 72" batting

Cutting:

From the green plaid:

Cut (3) 2-1/2" x 42" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 12" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 8" strips

Cut (1) 3-1/2" x 42" strip (for runner back)

From the cream plaid:

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 11-1/2" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" strips

Cut (1) 3-1/2" x 42" strip (for runner back)

From the red plaid:

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 7-1/2" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" strips

Cut (1) 3-1/2" x 42" strip (for runner back)

From the owl print:

Cut (2) 5-1/2" x 42-1/2" strips

Cut (4) 5-1/2" x 8" pieces with owls running vertically

From the apple print, leaf print, and harvest print:

Cut (1) 3-1/2" x 42" strip from each (for runner back)

From the black solid:

Cut (1) 4-1/2" x 42-1/2" strip

Cut (2) 4-1/2" x 8" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 8" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" strips

Cut (2) 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" strips

Cut (3) 6-1/2" x 42" strips (for runner back)*

*Cut these strips 9" wide if not using the pillowcase method.

Make the Runner Front

1. Sew a 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" red plaid strip and black strip together. Sew a 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" red plaid strip and black strip together. Make 2 of each.

2. Sew the 4-1/2" long red plaid/black unit to the 4-1/2" x 8" black piece. Sew the 5-1/2" long red plaid/black unit to a 5-1/2" x 8" owl print piece. Make 2 of each.

3. Sew a 2-1/2" x 12" green strip between the two units from step 2. Make 2.

4. Sew a 2-1/2" x 11-1/2" cream plaid strip to the top (unit D). Make 2. 

5. Sew a 2-1/2" x 5-1/2" cream plaid strip and black strip together. Make 2.

6. Sew the cream plaid/black unit to a 4-1/2" x 42-1/2" owl print strip. Make 2.

7. Sew the (3) 2-1/2" x 42" green plaid strips short ends together into a long strip. Sew to the top long edge of the unit from step 8 and trim excess green plaid strip (unit B1). Sew the remaining green plaid strip to the second long owl strip and trim excess (unit B2).

8. Sew a 2-1/2" x 8" green plaid strip to the left side of a 5-1/2" x 8" owl piece. Make 2.

9. Sew a 2-1/2" x 7-1/2" red plaid strip to the top (unit A). Make 2.

For the following steps, refer to the diagram as you sew.

10. Sew an A unit to the B1 unit and an A unit to the B2 unit.

11. Sew the 4-1/2" x 42-1/2" black strip (unit C) to B1, starting where indicated. Stop sewing 1/4" before the end of the black strip. 

12. Sew a D unit to the end of the B1/C unit. Sew the opposite side of the C unit to B2, starting where indicated.
13. Sew the remaining D unit to the edge of C/B2 as shown in both the diagram and photo below.

Here is the remaining D unit pinned in place, ready to be attached.

This is what the runner will look like at this point. All you need to do is finish the sewing the partial seam. Fold the runner, pin, and stitch from the opening to the end of the runner.

Make the Runner Back
1. Sew the (6) 3-1/2" x 42" strips together lengthwise in an order you like. Crosscut the strip set into (4) 6-1/2" wide segments.

2. Sew the four segments short ends together to create a long pieced strip. 
3. Sew the (3) 6-1/2" x 42" black solid strips short ends together into a long strip. Sew to opposite long sides of the pieced strip and trim excess. *Note: If you are quilting and binding this rather than using the pillowcase finishing method, your black strips should be 9" x 42".

Assembling the Runner
1. Layer the runner top and back right sides together, matching raw edges on the long sides. Note: The back will be slightly longer and you'll need to trim it to match the front. Lay on top of batting and pin the three layers in place. 
2. Sew around all four sides with a 1/4" seam allowance, leaving an opening for turning. Clip corners. Turn right side out and slip stitch the opening closed. Topstitch around edge of runner if desired.

Enjoy your new reversible table runner!

For a chance to win a fat quarter bundle of Fall Festival, sign up to follow the blog (see options in the right hand sidebar) and/or follow us on Facebook. Leave us a comment letting us know you do, as well as telling us if you've ever made a quilt/table runner/etc. with a pieced back. The giveaway is open through Thursday, October 9 at 11:59 pm EST.

This is the fourth of six autumn and/or Halloween themed tutorials coming your way, from Wednesday, October 1 through Wednesday, October 8. Be sure to check out all six and enter for a chance to win a fun fall fabric bundle!

Here's the line-up:Day 1: Kelly from My Quilt Infatuation featuring the Harvest Song collection
Day 2: Christina from Sometimes Crafter featuring the Spooktacular collection
Day 3: Melissa from My Fabric Relish featuring the Daily Zen collection
Day 4: Benartex blog design team featuring the Fall Festival collection
Day 5: Debby from Debby Kratovil Quilts featuring the Spooktacular collection
Day 6: Erin from Why Not Sew featuring the Indian Summer collection