Scrap Challenge – Autumn Table Runner
In around 2010 I realised my scraps were getting out of hand, and I wanted to make some community quilts to donate. I realised that by and large, all my scraps were unpredictable lengths, but very predictable widths. So I got out a box of scraps and sorted them by width. I had piles of 1” width scraps, 1 ½ “ width scraps, 2” wide scraps and so on.
Then instead of joining them along the long edge and having all different length pieces, I joined them across the short edge and ended up with very long strips of fabric. Each strip was a different width, but approximately three metres long! The next step was to press and join my long strips together. Once I had made a mega strip about 12 to 15” wide, I figured I had fabric and could use it for anything.
The first thing I did was cut squares on point out of it and each square made a quilt block.
But I really felt that I could do more with the scrap stripped fabric. This year I’ve cut out sections to make half a leaf. When joined they make a cute leaf shape. I could have appliqued these onto a background as is, but I decided I wanted a thicker border, so I cut out a plain colour leaf to border my leaf and give definition.
I like my scattered leaves. i could have done more in different sizes ….. maybe another day. but I did use up some more of my scrap fabric making a little border. Once the scrap fabric is made, its very easy to slice off strips to make borders.
When I came to quilt it, I used another lot of scrap fabric for the back. It makes the table runner two sided which is also handy.
After I was finished, so I thought… I decided I really needed some little matching coasters made of the leaf pattern and they are adorable. They have the added advantages of going through the wash, and being quick and easy to make.
I’ve made a pattern with instructions, but, to my mind, the fun of this is that none of it requires great accuracy. You can draw up your own leaf pattern por alter dimensions to suit yourself. It’s just a fun project and I hope you enjoy it.
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