DIY Christmas Table Runner Pattern

This DIY Christmas table runner pattern is the perfect way to decorate for the holidays without having to commit yourself to making a whole quilt. This pattern only uses simple half-square triangle blocks, making it a great choice for beginners. 

Although this pattern uses holiday fabric, you could use any fabric you'd like. That means that you could enjoy this table runner all year around.

This finished table runner measures 21" wide x 39" long. If you'd like to make it larger, you can add more blocks or add a border.

Before you get started, gather your supplies and materials to make your DIY table runner. 

Materials

• 1 yard of Christmas fabric (or a charm pack of Christmas fabric)
• 1 yard of white fabric (or a charm pack of white fabric)
• 1 1/4 yard fabric for the backing
• 1/2 yard fabric for the binding
• Craft size quilt batting
• Matching thread

Supplies

• Rotary cutter or scissors
• Quilting ruler
• Marking pen
• Sewing pins
• Sewing machine
• Iron
• Safety pins or basting spray

For this table runner, I'm using charm packs. These are fabric precuts which are 5" squares. Not only are these great because they are already cut, but you get a whole range of fabric patterns in them. You'll want to select 25 of these charm squares if you're using them,  you'll have a few leftover that you can use for another project. 

It's easy to use yardage to make this Christmas table runner, you'll just need to do a little bit of cutting. Here's what you'll need to cut:

1. Cut your Christmas fabric in 5" squares. You'll need 25 of these.
2. Cut your white fabric into 5" squares. You'll need 25 of these as well.
3. Cut your backing fabric into a rectangle 25" wide x 45" long. You'll need these no matter if you're using charm packs or yardage.
4. Cut your batting into a rectangle 25" wide x 45" long. A craft size package of batting works perfectly for this or you can cut down a larger size. 
5. Cut your binding fabric 2 1/4" wide x width of fabric (WOF). You should have 4 strips.

To make your half-square triangles, also called HSTs, follow these directions:

1. Place a square of Christmas fabric and a square of white fabric right sides together.
2. Draw a diagonal line from one corner to the other corner with a marking pen. Pin if desired.
3. Sew a line 1/4" away on either side of the line.
4. Cut on the diagonal line you drew earlier, careful not to cut your stitching on either side.

Use your iron to carefully set your seams and press the seams towards the Christmas fabric.

Use your quilting ruler to trim your half square triangles to 4.5". Trimming makes sure that all your blocks are the same and will sew together nicely. 

Repeat these directions with the rest of your squares. You'll have 50 half square triangle blocks when you're finished. 

Layout your half-square triangles in a herringbone design, as shown in the photo. If you've used different patterns of Christmas fabric, switch around your squares until you have a look that you like.

Your pattern will be 10 blocks across and 5 blocks down. Once you're happy with the layout, take a photo so you can refer to it while you're getting everything sewn together.

Place the first block right sides together with the second block. Sew a 1/4" seam to join them. Keep joining the blocks until you have an entire row sewed together. After you've finished one row, sew the rest of the rows.

Press your blocks to the right side for the first row, left side for the second row, and so on, alternating which way your seams are pressed. 

Take the first row and put it right sides together with the second row. If you alternated the way you pressed the seams in each row, you should be able to easily nest the rows together. Pin the rows and sew a 1/4" seam to join them. Press the seam between the rows open. Continue to attach your rows together until you have the top of the table runner complete.

Time to get all the layers of Christmas table runner together by making a quilt sandwich. To do this, lay your backing fabric right side down followed by your batting, making sure that everything stays smooth while you're doing this. Lay our completed table runner wrong side down on top, again making sure that everything is smooth and there are no wrinkles. Your batting and backing will be larger than your table runner top at this point. 

Baste the layers together using either safety pins or basting spray. 

Quilt your table runner with your sewing machine or by hand. You can choose any design you like. I chose to emphasize the herringbone pattern by outlining it on either side by 3/4". 

If you used safety pins, be sure to remove those as your quilting. 

When you're happy with your quilting, cut off any extra batting and backing.

Make your quilt binding. To do this, take two binding strips and place them right sides together perpendicular. Sew a diagonal line to join them beginning and ending at the inward corner where the strips intersect. Repeat to join all the strips together. 

Press the seams you just sewed open and trim any triangles or "dog ears" that extend past the binding. 

Fold the binding in half lengthwise, wrong sides together, and press. 

Use these directions or your favorite method to sew your binding onto the front of your table runner. Fold your binding to the back of the table runner and hand or machine sew to finish your table runner.