Super Easy Linen Table Runner

Linen Table Runner

Today we had craft day at my house. My friend Michelle brought over a super cute burlap table runner picture that we turned into THIS darling linen table runner. She found this great linen, we all thought was better then the burlap in her picture.

Cut Rectangles using your rotary cutter

Runner 18"x 6'

Ruffle 7"x 36"

So I am going to share with you my "super secret" way  I gather using my serger. First set your tension to 2.0 or the loosest that it will go. Then run you ruffle piece through the serger.  Leave lots of extra thread at the end. 

To find the right threads to pull, cut a straight cut across all four threads then fray them out and find the two shortest threads, pull them gently to gather.  If they don't pull easily then you may have the wrong threads or they might have become tangled.  Just cut them again and look for the two shortest parallel threads. Get a really good grip on your threads by wrapping them around your pointer and middle fingers of your right hand and gently use you left hand to push the gathers toward the center.  Then repeat on the other side. It is easiest to work the gathers from each end toward the center over  trying to gather the whole thing from one end to the other.  

On a sewing machine set your stitch length as big as it goes (between a 4-6, depending on the machine) then sew two parallel stitches at 1/4" and 3/4" from the edge. Gently gather holding firmly to both threads and push the gathers toward the center. 

Find the two shortest threads

Threads to pull to gather

pin ruffle to runner

Pin the ruffle to the runner with right sides together. Michelle made the common mistake of pinning one ruffle to the right side and the other ruffle to the wrong side.  It is pretty easy to do since there really is no wrong or right side visually. Just thought it might save some of you from doing the same thing, by double checking your pinning before you sew it.  (Note: there will be some extra ruffle on each end to play with, if you want a tight ruffle or a loose ruffle you can mess around with it as you pin it). Attached the ruffle to the runner just outside of the gathering stitches around 3/4".  Trim the ruffle to match up with your runner sides.

We left the edges raw.  I might go back and  stitch a zig-zag or straight stitch about a 1/4" around the edges so it doesn't fray too much when I wash it. 

Happy Sewing! 

Amy

sew-vivor entry

This is my sew-vivor entry! This is my first sewing competition and I am excited to see what happens. This is a dress that I made for my daughter Kayla.  She has this gorgeous mermaid blond hair and big blue eyes, so these were the perfect colors for her!

  I had this image in my head of a really fluffy ruffle skirt and big covered buttons down the back.  In order to get some real fluff to it, I sewed two ruffles (one 1 inch longer than the other) to the each band.  It also allows you to see the fabric a little more on the outer ruffle of each set.  I love how the fabric covered buttons turned out.  And they are so easy to make. P.S. For those of you who grew up in the 80's it is just like making button pin, you know the ones we put all over our jean jackets!

On the front I wanted a corsage type flower so I cut up different sized heart shapes and tack them at each corner, layering them at random.  

Here is my other daughter Ashley in another version.  It is a skirt with tool ruffles under each fabric ruffle.  The short cut way to get this look is to finish the hem on both layers (or leave them raw if that is the look you are going for) and ruffle both layers at the same time.  

I set my tension  as loose as it will go on my serger and run both layers though.  Then you take the two short threads and pull them at the same time to get a nice even ruffle. Then I used a million pins to pin each ruffle to the bands.  Then sandwiched all the layers with the top or bottom of the next band and pinned it, then basted the whole sandwich on my sewing machine. Next I ran it through my serger to finishes it all off. 

Fushia Dot Apron

Hi everyone! I hope you had an amazing Christmas with lots of joy scattered between the moments of chaos and scotch tape! I am so excited to share with you my very first post, a free tutorial on this easy to make apron. I used Anna Maria's Clippings print from LouLouthi with Michael Miller's Ta Dot in Fuchsia. You can find these fabric and a whole lot more amazing prints at my friend Andrea's online fabric store http://www.fabricenvy.com/.


This apron is basically made up of rectangles.
Top- 11" 1/2 L x18 1/2" W
Bottom-19" Lx 22 1/2" W
Waistband- 4 1/2 L x 18 1/2" W
Apron strings- 4 1/2 L x 43" W (cut 2)
Neck tie- 43" W x 4 1/2L +24" W x 4 1/2" L


1. Hem the sides of the top, bottom and apron strings. Fold up a 1/4" and iron. Then another 1/4" and iron. Sew with at 1/8" seam allowance. After hemming the apron strings attach to the waistband either serging or stich with a 5/8" seam and then zigzag the seam so it doesn't unravel.


 2. Create a drawstring type hem at the top of the top piece by folding over 1/4" (or serge it) and then another 1" and sewing a 1/8" seam allowance along the bottom.


3. Make a hem on the bottom piece. Fold up 1/4" and iron then fold up 1 1/4" and iron. Sew at a 1/8" seam allowance. 


4. Create the pleats in the bottom piece then sew to the waistband.  Find the center by folding it in half and putting a straight pin in it. To make a pleat measure 2" from the center mark with a fabric pen. Then make another mark 3" from center. Make two more marks at 7 1/2" and 8 1/2". Bring the 2" mark and the 3" mark together with the excess fabric going toward the side (if you fold them with the excess toward the middle it adds bulk to just the place you don't want...the cookies you make in this apron are already going to try to threaten the sit-ups you did so no need to add more bulk then is necessary!) Do this for the 7 1/2" mark and 8 1/2 " mark on both sides. 
Fold the waistband in half and mark it with a straight pin. Match it up with the straight pin center of the bottom. With right sides together sew a 1/4" seam (or baste then serge).


5. Sew the top to the waist band. Find and mark the centers and align and pin with right sides together. Sew with 1/4" seam allowance.


6. Make the neck tie. Sew two pieces together. Fold in half with right sides together. Sew with !/4" seam allowance across the bottom and one side. Use a long handle or pencil to flip right side out. Fold the open end inside 1". Sew across to close at 1/8" seam allowance.
Thread the neck tie through the top with a safety pin. Tie it into a bow. 
   
Enjoy making lots of delicious foods in this darling apron!