Free Tutorial - Holiday In The Pines Table Runner and A Bit About Gold Country

Living on the Divide, it's all about Holiday In The Pines.  We are literally surrounded by the Tahoe National Forest.  People come from all over the world to recreate here.  

There is an extensive OHV trail system here: USDA Government Map OHV Trail System In addition there is camping, fishing, tons of lakes, hiking, climbing...everything you would want to do in the High Sierra's. 

Sugar Pine Reservoir

Each year they hold the Tevis Cup - 100 Miles in One Day Horseback Ride and the Western States Endurance Run which follows along the Western States Trail, the historic route taken by Paiute and Washoe Indigenous Peoples, Gold Rush explorers, Comstock hopefuls, and Express Riders of the Wells Fargo and Adams Express Companies.  There is just a ton of history in this area! 

Holiday In The Pines Table Runner Tutorial

This quick tutorial will guide you in making the Holiday In The Pines table runner.  Read all the directions first.

Finished size 35.5" long and 15.5" wide.

Materials:  12 - 2.5" x WOF strips of fabric, your choice. (WOF = width of fabric) 

Thin Batting 37" x 17"

Some fabric for backing  37" x 17"

3 strips of fabric 2.5" wide x WOF for your binding

1.  Make 3 strip sets using 4 strips measure 2.5" x WOF.

 

These were my fabric choices.  I decided to use the same dark green pine cone fabric for both outside pieces of my strip set.

You can use any kind of fabric strips you want, they don't have to be exactly like mine.  You will want some contrast in at least one piece to create the design.  But I encourage you to play with your fabric, have fun and try different things, you may create something you like even more!

2. From your strip sets cut 60 degree triangles.  You will need 14 of these.  If you need help with cutting 60 degree triangles using a straight ruler, refer to the Candy Corn Table Topper for visual and written instruction.  If you have a 60 degree triangle ruler, by all means, use that.  Flip your ruler back and forth on the fabric to cut your triangles from both sides, this will give you no waste and create the pieces necessary for this table runner.  You will have left over triangles.

3.  Using your triangles, lay out your design so that it looks like the runner below.  Please read the notes before you start to sew.

4.  Before you start sewing, there are a couple things that will make it so much easier!  Press open all of your seams as you sew.  This will help to reduce the bulk in your final runner.  Sew one half of the runner at a time (7 triangles for each side) and then sew those two halves in one long seam down the middle, carefully matching   your points and seams, to complete your runner.  Again, press open on that long center seam to reduce bulk.  Quilt and Bind as desired.

  

Your quilting can be as simple as stitch in the ditch or as elaborate as you wish.  You can bind by machine or by hand.  For this runner, I stitched in the ditch and applied my binding from the back side first, mitering corners and then machine stitched from the front to finish.  You can use what every method you like.  

If you make one of these table runners, I would love to see it!  And if you are up in the Tahoe National Forest I hope you'll come visit the Divide!