Materials

Designer: Shelley Robson
Photographer: Greg Scheidemann

Designer Shelley Robson's quick stitch-and-flip method uses lots of different red fabrics across this mouthwatering table runner. Just place one strip on top of another, stitch, and continue adding more strips until 

the layers are covered. Add seeds and borders and you're ready to set the table.

8—1/8-yard pieces assorted red prints (table runner top)
1/8 yard solid red (binding)
1/4 yard solid white (piping)
1/4 yard green print (binding)
3/8 yard backing fabric
1x34 inches thin quilt batting
11—3/4-inch-long black heart-shape buttons
Quilt basting spray (optional)

Finished Table Runner: 11x28 inches

To order a kit of similar fabrics (all fabrics for quilt top, buttons, backing, and binding), send $29.50 ppd. to The Quilted Forest, 109 N. Clark, Forest City, IA 50436; 641-585-2438; 

Cut Fabrics

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut the pieces in the following order.

From each assorted red print, cut: 
2  1-1/2-x-42-inch strips

From solid red, cut:
1  2-1/2-x-42-inch binding strip

From solid white, cut:
Enough 1-inch-wide bias strips to total 50 inches in length for piping

From green print, cut:

Enough 1-1/4-inch-wide bias strips to total 50 inches in length for binding

From each of backing fabric and lightweight quilt batting, cut:
Cut the half circle shape of a watermelon. (Download project pdf for templates.)

Assemble and Quilt Table Runner

1. Lay backing fabric A piece on your work surface with right side down. Place batting A piece on top. If desired, use quilt basting spray to secure layers together.

2. With right side up, place a red print 1-1/2-x-42-inch strip across the middle of the layered A pieces; one strip end should extend just beyond top of layered A pieces. Trim excess red print strip just beyond bottom edge (Diagram 1).

3. With right side down, place a second red print 1-1/2-x-42-inch strip atop first strip; trim excess strip as before. Sew together through all layers (Diagram 2). Finger-press top strip open.

4. Continue adding assorted red print strips in both directions until layered A pieces are covered; press.

5. Center the B template on the strip-covered A piece; trace around and cut out to make table runner (Diagram 3).

Finish Table Runner

1. Use solid red binding strip to bind straight edge of table runner.

2. Using diagonal seams, sew together solid white 1-inch-wide bias strips to make a 50-inch-long strip.

3. In same manner, join green print 1-1/4-inch-wide bias strips to make a 50-inch-long strip.

4. Sew together solid white and green print bias strips along one long edge to make a pieced binding strip. Press seam toward green print 

strip. Fold under each short end of pieced binding strip 1/2 inch; press.

5. On back side of table runner, align green edge of pieced binding strip with table runner's curved raw edge. Sew binding to table runner, easing in a little extra fabric around curves. Turn pieced binding to right side of table runner and turn under raw edge 1/4 inch, leaving a small band of solid white showing (Diagram 4). Hand-stitch binding in place.

6. Referring to photograph for placement, hand-sew buttons on table runner.