Materials

Quilt Designer: Shelley Robson of The Quilted Forest
From Quilts and More, Spring 2006

1/2 yard of backing fabric 
1/8 yard each of seven assorted orange prints for table runner top 
18x22" piece (fat quarter) of mottled orange for binding 
2 -- 18x22" pieces (fat quarters) of assorted green prints for stem 
16x28" of thin quilt batting 
Lightweight fusible web 
Medium-weight cutaway stabilizer 
Quilt basting spray (optional)

Finished table runner (including stem): 13x32-1/4"

Quantities are for 44/45"-wide, 100% cotton fabrics. All measurements include a 1/4" seam allowance. Sew with right sides together unless otherwise stated.

To order a kit of similar fabrics (all fabrics for quilt top, backing, and binding), send $24.50 ppd. to The Quilted Forest, 109 N. Clark, Forest City, IA 50436; or call 641-585-2438.

Cut the Fabrics

To make the best use of your fabrics, cut the pieces in the order that follows. Click on "Download This Project" to download the full-size patterns. (Patterns A and B will print out together as four pages and Pattern C will print out as two pages; after printing, tape sheets together on the dotted lines to make patterns.) Be sure to transfer the center positioning line onto the A fabric piece after cutting.

From backing fabric, cut:
1 of Pattern A

From each assorted orange print, cut:
2 -- 1-1/2x42" strips

From mottled orange, cut: 
Enough 2-1/2"-wide bias strips to total 75" in length for binding.

From each green print, cut:
1 -- 11x16" rectangle

From lightweight quilt batting, cut:
1 of Pattern A

From fusible web, cut:
2 -- 11x16" rectangles

From stabilizer, cut:
1 -- 11x16" rectangle

Assemble and Quilt Table Runner

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

2. With the right side up, place an orange print 1-1/2x42" strip across the middle of the layered A pieces; one edge should run along the center positioning line and the end should extend just beyond the top of the layered A pieces. Trim the excess orange print strip just beyond the bottom edge of the layered A pieces (Diagram 1).

3. With the right side down, place a second orange print 1-1/2x42" strip atop the first strip; trim the excess strip as before. Sew together through all layers (Diagram 2). Finger-press the top strip open. (Designer Shelley Robson recommends using a walking foot attachment on your machine during the construction to avoid puckers on the quilt back.)

4. Continue adding assorted orange print strips in both directions until the layered A pieces are covered; press. Center the B template on the strip-covered A piece; trace around and cut out to make the table runner (Diagram 3).

Complete the Table Runner

1. Using diagonal seams, sew together the mottled orange 2-1/2"-wide bias strips to make a 75"-long strip. Bind table runner with 75"-long strip.

2. Following the manufacturer's instructions, press the fusible-web 11x16" rectangles onto the backs of the green print 11x16" rectangles; let cool. Peel off the paper backings.

3. Lay one Step 2 green print rectangle on your work surface with the right side down. Place the stabilizer 11x16" rectangle on top. With the right side up, place the remaining Step 2 green print rectangle on top of the layered rectangles. Following the manufacturer's instructions, fuse all of the pieces together.

4. Trace Pattern C onto the fused Step 3 rectangle, tracing the stitching line and six pleat lines. Cut out on the outer drawn lines to make the stem. Using a short, wide zigzag stitch, sew around all edges of the stem.

5. Fold the stem so a set of two pleat lines match up; pin through both pleat lines. Then press lightly to form a pleat. Repeat to fold and press a total of three pleats in the stem. Machine-baste on the marked stitching line to hold the pleats in place (Diagram 4).

6. Place the pleated stem on the wide end of the table runner so the short stem end is on the table runner and the stitching line is 1/2" from the bound edge (Diagram 5). Topstitch over the basting stitches to secure the stem to the table runner. Fold the stem in half so both portions extend above the top of the carrot shape; press lightly to complete the project.