How to applique a modern landscape tablerunner

Welcome back to some fun quilting time! Yesterday we made a fun kid’s artist case that’s bound to be a hit with the little ones. Today we’re going to change our focus and make a fun project for the home.

I don’t know what it is but there’s just something about springtime that puts a little spring in my step. For me, it’s a great time to jump-start my spring stitching. This week we’re doing that with Northcott Fabric’s Urban Elementz Basix Collection.

I’m one of those designers that believes that we need to lose the fear of coloring outside the box, make some of our own rules and have a barrel of fun with our projects in order to truly enjoy our creativity.

Today we’re going to have fun with a new project, the Welcome Spring table runner by Bill Locke Designs.

This wonderful collection of dots from Northcott has proven to be very versatile in the projects I shared over the last three days. On Monday we made a fun table topper for a breakfast nook, Tuesday and Wednesday were adorable children’s projects, and today we’re going to bring these delicious dots back to home decor, but with a new twist.

When I looked at the blues and greens in this collection I immediately thought about Spring. I saw a wonderful sky and a welcoming meadow. Today, we’re going to be turning some of these dots and a piece of beautiful blue fabric from Northcott’s Colorworks collection into a cute landscape in our spring table runner.

Material/cutting list

• Blue polka dot fabric – cut three strips 2½” x 12″
• Blue solid fabric – cut five strips 2½” x 12″
• Dark green fabric – cut two rectangles 9¼” x 12″
• Light green fabric – cut one rectangle 14″ x 12″
• Orange fabric – 3½” x 22″
• Purple fabric – 2½” x 12″
• Black fabric – 1½” x 6½”
• Fusible adhesive of choice for appliques –  ½ yard (my personal choice is Heat N Bond Featherlite)
• Threads to coordinate with the light green, orange, purple and black fabrics.

Sewing the background

To begin our project, we’re going to start by sewing together the seven blue strips.

We’ll stitch these together along the 12″ length, alternating colors as shown in the photo below, using a ¼” seam allowance.

The blue strips will be the center of our table runner and will represent the sky.

To each of the 12″ ends of the blue center panel, we’re going to add one of the 9¼” x 12″ dark green rectangles.

On the template page below, you’ll find the landscape shape that is used for the ends of the table runner. Please take note that the template is in two pieces. You’ll need to cut and join the template pieces by matching up the dashed line on each piece.

Once this is done, trace the landscape template to the paper side of your fusible adhesive. You’ll need to trace two, one for each end of the table runner.

Fusing the landscape shapes

1. Cut out the two landscape shapes, leaving a little extra of the white fusible outside of the drawn lines.
2. Lay the shapes on the wrong side of the light green fabric, shiny side down.
3. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to fuse in place using a hot iron.
4. Allow cooling.
5. Cut out both shapes directly on the drawn lines.
6. Peel off the paper backing from the applique shapes and lay one of the green landscape shapes on each of the dark green ends of the table runner as shown in the photo below.
7. Fuse the landscape appliques in place with a hot iron.

Machine or hand stitch along the curve of the landscape applique with a blanket stitch, using a thread that coordinates with the fabric.

Adding the flowers

Next, we need to add a little color to our table runner. With all of these beautiful dots in the Urban Elementz Basix collection, Northcott Fabrics has made sure that we have lots of lovely options to choose from!

1. Trace the flower shape, the large flower centers, and the small flower center templates to the paper side of your fusible adhesive. You’ll need to trace six of each template.
2. Leave a little space between each of the shapes as you trace them.
3. Cut out all of the shapes, leaving a little extra of the fusible adhesive paper outside of the drawn lines as per what we did with the landscape applique.
4. Lay the shapes, shiny side down on the wrong sides of the fabrics – six flower templates on the orange fabric, the large flower centers on the purple fabric, and the smaller flower centers on the black fabric.
5. Use a hot iron to fuse all of the applique templates to the fabric.
6. Cut out all of the shapes directly on the lines.
7. Peel off the paper backing from each piece and position the applique shapes on the ends of the table runner as shown in the photo below.

Now that the top of the runner is all fused, I’ll be using a blanket stitch on my machine to stitch around each of the applique shapes, and then quilt my table runner to get it ready for the binding.

I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to show you the completed table runner today because it’s going to be getting a finishing touch with another wonderful fabric from Northcott which I’ll be introducing in May. I’ll be bringing the table runner back at that time to show you the finished project.

I hope that you enjoyed today’s post and that you’ll have fun making your own version of the Welcome Spring table runner.

It’s been a blast being able to introduce these yummy prints to you. Be sure to check back tomorrow for the next and last installment for the Urban Elementz Basix Collection. In tomorrow’s blog, I’ll be giving you a little peek into what we’ll be playing within May.

Happy Stitching!