Springtime Table Runner-Book Review

It is about this time of year, shortly after all the Christmas decorations are put to sleep for another year, that I get really anxious for spring. Living my entire life in the midwest, I know spring is not going to arrive for quite some time. So the next best thing is to give the house a little facelift.

I use runners all over my house. I love tables and trunks and use them in every room. I love to quilt, but there comes a time when you just don’t need another quilt. Enter table runners. I can use up stash and finish a small project all at the same time! BONUS! I went into my stash and pulled some of my favorite leftovers.

We finished a major addition/remodel late in the fall so this year I have a good excuse to make some new runners. Top it With a Runner (affiliate link) is a book that I have used in the past and went there again. The nice thing about this book is that there are a variety of methods used. There are seven different runners. You can choose to appliqué, or the piecing method. There are square motifs and triangle motifs. This time I chose a bear paw pattern. Back Country Bear Paw is a pattern designed for flannels.

I like to add my own flavor to any project. So I mixed flannel, cotton and muslin in this runner. I am quite pleased with the combination.

In this project some of my pieces do not quite match up. I have gotten pretty good at trimming and making them work. That is one of the benefits and pitfalls of multiple piecing.

Because our house has more of a country feel, I use a fair amount of muslin. I keep a few yards on hand so I am not running out if I decide I need some. I like the look that muslin gets after it is washed and dried. I used muslin for all my background pieces. I ended up purchasing a contrast piece for the back and binding.This will make a perfect transition runner for the kitchen table. And because of husbands and grandchildren this will be in the laundry on a regular basis. So even though all of my points are not perfect it is a perfect fit for our kitchen.