When it comes to decor or fashion or picking a style, mine is always eclectic. Or, as the Coach likes to say, “can’t make up your mind so nothing matches style”. Which is why our patio has a mix of minimalist, bohemian, coastal and rustic elements – all tied together with a bright color palette. So when Dana asked if I would like to sew something with her new Boardwalk Delight fabric, I knew that this table runner would be a perfect finishing touch with her fun bright colors and adding some of that boho flair with the fringe.

photo courtesy Dana Willard
I haven’t had any table runners before, because I didn’t see the point. It’s like not a placemat and not a tablecloth, so why?
But then the condo we stayed at during our vacation this summer had one and I understood.
In addition to adding a pop of color and pattern, they’re great for putting out hot serving dishes and still protecting your table. And since they don’t go under the plates, they stay cleaner than tablecloths or placemats. Plus, it’s still easy to wipe down the sides of the table (where the kids actually eat) which is not the case with tablecloths.
Aren’t those bright colors cheerful?
The camera couldn’t quite capture the metallic gold glints on the ribbon trim I used, but in the light on our patio, the gold is a nice touch.
And I just love how this modern print contrasts with the rustic outdoor table we built (which is from these plans).
This project was actually inspired by a floor cloth that Sharon Holland made, but I changed the dimensions quite a bit, so I’ll share those. And then you can hop over to her site to get the pattern for the assembly instructions. Look for this image:
Below are the changes I made to my dimensions.
Besides cutting my pieces longer for my 6 foot table, the only other change I made to this was that I didn’t use the lengthwise pieces of trim that Sharon used on her floor cloth.
Anne
Beautiful!!! I’ve got a Craft Gossip post scheduled for later this afternoon that features your table runner: http://sewing.craftgossip.com/?p=89395 –Anne