I have seen some lovely work on table toppers here, but if someone gave one to me, I would not know what to do with it. Do you put it on the dining table when it is not set for a meal? (Nothing extra would fit on my table when it is in use for eating at.)
Or maybe they are not for dining tables?
So, explain to me, please!!!

I made a couple for my sister and she has them hanging on stands instead of on the table. Looks nice!
My table is always covered with sewing stuff.

I've made, and sold, a kagillion table toppers. I do them in a holiday theme and make them reversible. The people who buy them display them on tables during the holidays, and often put holiday decorations on top of them for display as well.

I've done special orders for holidays when people want a specific theme like exclusively fabric with spiders on it for Halloween or the like. I did a special order for a wedding this summer that had a tiger (yes, tiger) theme and they wanted them for the bride/groom reception table.

I have one that covers the whole table, and lives there permanently except when I pull out the extra leaves at Christmas. It protects my table surface from knocks and scrapes.

I made it as a practice piece to try this embroidery/quilting technique. Developed as Threadply by Libby Lehman (see her book, of the same name)

I use a table topper most of the time. I like the look of them on my dining room table. Sometimes it is just the topper and sometimes there is a vase of flowers on the topper. Here sre some pics of some of the toppers I have done.

I use table runners on my end tables in my livingroom or in my bedrooms they never seem to be able to be seen on my kitchen table. Always something on it.

lol. My table topper is bills, keys, purses, fabric, and usually a bag of tootsie rolls or some other snack.

I think the table toppers and runners are beautiful, but my table must be the sister/brother of knlsmith. LOL I would like to try some, mainly to get more practice at FM.

So do you remember what color yours is? I think mine is light oak colored! LOL

I think it's maple. LOL

I love table runners and toppers. I have them on the dining room table and on end tables, coffee tables, etc. I like my house to feel like a quilting Bed and Breakfast.

I don't do the table topper thing. My decor is modern and very minimal. I don't like clutter. I do use quilts as wallhanging(art) or to keep warm though:>

I use mine on the dining room table. If it's a long rectangular one, I place the topper lengthwise when we are not eating. When we eat, I turn it a quarter turn, and put the butter dish, salt and pepper, etc, on it, and placemats at either end of the table. Some of my toppers are small squares less than 30" square, and they fit nicely in the center of my dining room table, even with placemats.

I have some for the sofa table all my electronics sit on so it doesn't get scratched or heat damaged & I made one with pockets for hubby's end table. I have an actual tablecloth planned & fabric pulled for our dining room table. We are constantly taking the leaf in & out so I have designed it with a break in the center for the leaf. That extra little piece will be stored with the leaf and velcro'd on.

I keep a small one on little antique ice cream table we use in kitchen for breakfast. I made it two sides with tic tac two board on one side and checker board on other and made yo-yo "checkers"...actually I kind of cheated and used some cute fabric with flowers in a square pattern that I bought at Hobby Lobby. Granddaughter loves to play with them. Only piecing is the borders. I often use one on large square coffee table in living room and on antique oak in the dining room. ..easy to take off at dinner time...I figure today's quilts can be as modern or as antique as you like!

My table topper is on my kitchen table all the time, I just put placemats on top and we eat there every day.

This is an education- thank you! To the people who use them as tablecloth substitutes- don't they make things wobble? (could you balance a glass of water on one?)

No, they don't make things wobble, glass sits level, sits better on the topper that is machine quilted, the one that I tied is a little puffy.

They are sort of like quilted coasters. The things you sit on them sort of sink down a little & cushioned so they don't rock and are less likely to slosh over if the table is bumped.

i use table runners across my dining table, the condiments are sitting in the middle of it. i also have one across the coffee table, 3 different occassion tables, the top of the entertainment center, both of our nightstands, my dresser...and my hubby informed me a few days ago that he doesn't think its fair he doesn't have one on the table that sits next to his favorite chair, so i guess i need another one. the seasonal ones i swap out but i have ones that are around all the time. we also use place mats and fabric napkins.

I also use them. On my dining room table which is long and rectangular I use a runner and kitchen table which is circular I use a table topper. Usually I leave the one on the kitchen table until I or husband or baby spill something then I just wash it. For the dining room table I take that off before we eat. I Love the extra color it adds to the room. We also use placemats

I have an oval table with a rather good sized lazy susan on it that holds salt, pepper, napkins and junk. I think about a topper all the time but would hate to cover up a lot of it with the lazy susan. I have made place mats that we use every day. I only put a very thin sandwich material in them and they must be NO iron!

My first table runner I ever had I got in the Fall Swap here on the board, and it is now displayed on my coffee table. Why not on dining table? Too much stuff there...it is desk, work table, craft table, etc etc. I do plan on making more table runners...as soon as the rush is over, whenever that happens!! :-)

I use one on my coffee table, and sometimes one on my dining table, to hold salt and pepper, sugar, etc, and also to act as a sort of jumbo hotpad.

I am building up a little collection, I like to have some seasonal ones to swap out.

They are nice on the dining table, but on coffee tables, dresser tops, hallway tables, too

I love my table toppers. I use one on my coffee table that I made from fabrics I bought on my honeymoon in alaska earlier this year and everytime I look at it, it brings back happy memories. It also protects the table from snacks and food.

We have a table topper. Monty the cat. Little bugger simply cannot get it in his head that a cat does not belong on the table. grrrrrr. I saw somewhere that a person had used 2-sided tape on a place mat to teach the cat a lesson. My numbnuts would probably run around like a little madcat with a mat stuck to his furry butt. Until he learns to behave - I will not have any decorations. (The one placemat has beads, and he picks them out)

I am making three for Xmas gifts, and one for us--have not had one to use in years--usually sewing on the table, but now I have an area set up so we can actually use the table for food!
I made a reversible one for my daughter' birthday---Big O blocks of Halloween on one side and fall/thanksgiving on the other side. there are some pretty ones in this thread! I will have to get more creative!

Also table runners are fun too! they can also be used on your bedroom dresser or chest of drawers. I especially love the quilt as you go ones.

I mainly use them during holidays and sometimes on accent tables.

I have toppers on just about everything. Not only do they dress up the tables...you can't see the dust :lol: :lol:

very nice toppers....... I use either a table topper or a runner at all times.,,,, I usually have them OVER my lace tablecloth, and they save it from getting snags, ect.

I have made several table runners. I put them on my formal dinning room and informal dinning room tables according to the season. I have made floral, thanksgiving/fall, and xmas runners.
You can check them out on my webshots below:

Table toppers hide a multitude of sins. If your furniture has any knicks or scratches, no one knows...and they are so cozy looking.

i use mine on the dining roomtable and living room tables, aklso, i'll hand=g on the front door. i love making them, made over 60 so far, great gifts for tsomeone you don't know what to do for. also, have seen people put them over the back of the couches

I use mine but take it off when we eat.

I enjoy using table toppers; however, they usually live on the back of a dining room chair because my table is covered in fabrics and my sewing machine. :lol: