So apparently I've never blogged about it before, but I've made a couple of cute table runners in the past. Nothing fancy, just two complimentary fabrics and the 10-minute table runner pattern. (Which, by the way, has never taken me only ten minutes! I'm too OCD about the pressing parts - but it is really quick.)
Anyway, I've previously used the pattern and liked it, and I got the brilliant idea that several people on my gifting list could use a "Table Runner of the Month" club. Aka, at every birthday and Christmas, give them a few table runners to go with monthly themes or holidays. So when I find appropriate fabric for each holiday or monthly theme, I'm snapping it up for some assembly-line table runner sewing....
I was not originally intending to do any specific birthday runners, but I thought this fabric was too bright and cheery to pass up! I found it at JAF in the novelty section and immediately bought enough for 4 runners - one for me, three for gifts - plus some extra for birthday hanging towels. The blue and purple solids are one of the quilter's solids from JAF, and they have a habit of wrinkling more than I like. But I couldn't get those colors from Kona cotton, at least not at JAF, so it was worth it. The yellow is a Kona cotton, and a much better quality fabric.
The green of the birthday runner is a Kona cotton, also - very nice. The patriotic fabrics are both from HF and were an impulse buy back in February. They weren't even on sale! But I really liked them and decided they were worth it.
If I remember right, the ladybugs (top runner) and chocolate chips were the inspiration for the "table runner of the month" idea. Neither of these are really for any specific month - I just thought they would make good table runners. My mom loves bright yellow and cheery prints, so the ladybugs were a no-brainer. And who wouldn't want chocolate chip cookies on their table?
The vintage-look Valentine fabric was a lucky find. I like a lot of the more cutesy Valentine's prints, but not for leaving on your table all month. I wanted something that was a little more restrained, a little less sappy, a little more grown-up. This fit the bill!
I have plenty more themes planned and some of the fabrics purchased.
