Sew It Yourself: Chenille Christmas Table Runner

Courtesy of Olfa

This soft table runner is made by “chenille-ing” the fabric; sewing layers of the fabric together in a special manner and then cutting through most of the fabrics. The fabric blooms after being washed and dried. This project was created using a red, white and green plaid design.  This chenille table runner portrays the cozy comfort everyone is looking for during the cold winter months.

Skill Level: Beginner

Tools Needed

• 18″ x 24″ Self-Healing Rotary Mat
• 45mm Deluxe Rotary Cutter 
• 6″ x 24″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler 
• Chenille Cutter 

Materials

• 5 yds. homespun fabrics
• Thread to match
• Standard sewing supplies

BEFORE YOU START

• You want the fabric you use for the table runner to fray after you sew, cut and wash it—that’s what will create the chenille texture—so be sure to choose woven fabrics like cotton, flannel, rayon, or a homespun.
• Bright flannels sometimes bleed when washed, adding an unintentional tinge to an otherwise beautiful project. To minimize color bleeding, pre-treat flannel pieces by washing them.
• Keep your table runner simple by using the same fabric for all layers, or mix & match for a more colorful look.
• By layering patterned fabrics with the pattern matching in each layer, the pattern will show through with the chenille.
• New to chenille or the OLFA Chenille Cutter? Watch this informational video.
• This design can also be used to create a chenille rug!

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut 6 pieces of homespun approximately 24″ x 44″.
2. Lay one piece with the right side facing down, and a second layer on top of that with the right side facing up.
3. Carefully layer the remaining 4 pieces, right sides facing up, on top of the first two layers. The plaid design for the top four pieces should be aligned and hitting in the same spot.
4. Pin the fabric stack in several places so the fabrics don’t shift as you sew.
5. Take the 6″ x 24″ Frosted Acrylic Ruler and draw a line diagonally from one top corner to the bottom corner. Stitch that line.
6. Continue to sew diagonal lines every 1/2″, parallel to the first line. This will create channels across the whole project.
7. Use the Chenille Cutter to cut through the channels of the the top four layers of fabric. Be careful not to cut the bottom 2 layers.
8. You can choose to leave the table runner as a rectangle or trim off the corners for an oval shape.
9. Add binding around the table runner. For an oval or round table runner, also be sure to cut the binding on the bias, or use commercial binding.
10. Wash and dry the table runner to allow the fabric to “bloom”.
11. Display proudly as a part of your Christmas tablescape, embracing the warmth of the holidays.

TIPS FROM THE EXPERTS

• You can vary the look of your chenille by sewing the lines different widths apart. For a softer look, sew lines or channels 1/8” or ¼” apart. For a more textured look, sew channels 3/8” or ½” apart.
• To speed up sewing, you can increase the stitch length on your sewing machine to 3.0.
• Be sure to pull fabric taut as you sew along the first diagonal line to ease stitching and prevent puckering.
• Sew one line of stitching in one direction, and then sew in the opposite direction for the next line. Repeat until sewing is complete. This will prevent the stitching from pulling in one direction and causing distortion.
• If you want the pattern to still show through after you chenille, you need to layer the fabrics so the pattern on the fabric is directly on top of the same pattern placement on the other layers.

Hancock Fabrics

Founded in 1957, Hancock Fabrics is committed to nurturing consumers’ creativity. We are the inspirational authority in fabric and sewing with a complete selection of fashion and home decorating textiles, crafts, sewing accessories, needlecraft supplies and sewing machines. Hancock Fabrics currently operates 263 retail stores in 37 states, along with our web site, HancockFabrics.com.