My Parents are celebrating their 60th with a family dinner at a Hoss's restaurant. I want to make 5 table runners to use for the long tables that everyone will sit at. I have 4 pieces of fabric (1 navy, 1 burgandy, 1 rust and 1 brown, @ 2 yards each.) Nothing fancy, just a "fall" looking piece that I will lay decorative leaves and other fall items on.

I Need help! And thankfully I know just where to ask for it. Thanks in advance everyone.

I guess I should have said that the fabric has a stipple looking pattern all over it and tiny colored blocks every so often. (really tiny blocks, maybe 1/8" square.)

Prints or solids? The first two that come to mind are a Disappearing 4 Patch and one I saw recently made with tumbler blocks so the edges were not straight - they curved in and out - not scalloped. Probably made with alternating rows of four blocks and three blocks.

How about autograph blocks, see crackerbox pattern:

http://www.quiltinaday.com/freepattern/

Get a solid cream like Kona Cotton for the autograph rectangle and use the rest of your fabrics for the blocks. Use enough blocks on each table runner for everyone to sign. Bring fabric pens for people to use.

Or just use patchwork with enough light blocks for people to sign on.

Do you have an embroidery machine? You could embroider everyone's name for place settings.

How abt putting a fabric photo in the middle of whatever you do of the family or the couple alone...

Would you have room for a tone on tone fabric and let the guest sign their names with a pigma pen? Then the parents would have more precious memories.

Just a thought.

ali

So what would you like to do with them? Do you want to just hem the pieces of fabric? Do you want points on each end? The french braid is a nice tablerunner pattern but a little busy if you want to put a display on them. How about the 10 minute table runner? That is the one that is on the QB tutorials I think.

Thank you everyone for your good ideas. I am thinking of using a center piece of "fall" fabric and using the other fabric as small boarders. I don't have much time and I just want something very simple and easy because I am in the middle of too many other projects (also with time restraints.) I know none of you have ever been in this situation. Thanks again!

I think the variant d9p I developed would be striking.

You would cut your 2 yard pieces first into thirds perpindicular to the selvages (accross the fabric.) then into quarters. You will end up with 12 blocks 10"x27" for each 2 yards, a total of 48 blocks. You need 9 blocks for each runner. Following the sewing & cutting diagram, you will end up with a runner 30x81 (less seam allowances and hems.) If 30 is too wide, cut them 1/3 the finished width you want them to be.

here is a pic of the back of a quilt and the tutorial. Keep in mind, your center square ends up being the cornerstones, and the 4 corners end up being the 4 big focus blocks.

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-141588-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-141683-1.htm