Hey everyone! Today we're sewing a classic bed runner, and I'll show you how one red and cream geometric batik can wake up a whole bedroom.
Here we go.
Meet the fabric
This is the Banyan 80055-24 Sophie Red/Cream Geo 45" wide fabric per yard from Fabric Fanatics.
It's a batik. It's 45" wide. It's made by Banyan. And it's sold by the yard here at Linda's.
The name tells you the look. Sophie is the design name. Red and cream are the colors. And Geo tells you the pattern is geometric.
That red and cream pairing is a good one, folks. The red brings the warmth. The cream keeps it light. And a geometric print reads clean and orderly on a big flat surface like a bed.
Batiks press crisp and hold an edge well. That matters here, because a bed runner is mostly long, straight seams.
The project: a classic bed runner
We're making a simple strip bed runner that finishes about 24" wide by 88" long.
That size drapes nicely across the foot of a queen bed. It hangs about 14" down each side. Want it shorter for a twin? Just trim the length. Completely up to you.
A bed runner is a smart first big project. There's no fitting. There's no curved piecing. It's cutting straight, sewing straight, and quilting straight. If I can do this, y'all can do it.
Why does this fabric suit it? The geometric pattern does the decorating for you. You don't need fancy blocks. Long strips show off the red and cream repeat, and the runner looks finished laid over plain bedding.
And here's the permission beat. Your strips do not have to line up perfectly. It's a runner, not an inspection. Take your time. It's not a race.
Materials
- 1 1/2 yards of Banyan 80055-24 Sophie Red/Cream Geo for the runner top
- 1/2 yard of a coordinating cream solid for the two narrow accent strips and binding
- 1 1/2 yards of backing fabric, 45" wide
- Batting, one piece about 28" by 92"
- Thread to blend with the red for piecing, and thread for quilting
- Rotary cutter, long ruler, and mat
- Pins or clips, safety pins for basting, and a walking foot if you have one
Brief steps
One. Press your fabric first. From the Sophie Geo, cut three strips the full width of the fabric, each 8 1/2" wide. From the cream solid, cut two strips the full width, each 2 1/2" wide. You'll join pieces end to end in the next step to reach your length.
Two. Lay out your long strips in this order: Geo, cream, Geo, cream, Geo. That center Geo strip is your star. Sew the strips together lengthwise with a 1/4" seam allowance, an 80/12 needle, and a stitch length of about 2.5. Press every seam toward the Geo strips.
Three. Join your strip pieces end to end until the top measures about 88" long. Take your time here, folks. Long seams like to wander. Sew slow, guide gently, and don't pull. Pulling is how a straight seam turns wavy.
Four. Layer your backing face down, batting on top, and the runner top face up. Baste with safety pins every 4" to 5". Quilt simply to start: stitch in the ditch along each long seam, then add two echo lines about 2" apart down the center strip. Straight lines suit a geometric fabric. We're not reinventing the wheel here.
Five. Trim the edges even. Cut your binding at 2 1/2" wide, join it, and bind all four sides. I fold mine to the back and finish by hand, but machine binding is just fine too. Completely up to you.
Practical tips
Check your length before you bind. Lay the top across your actual bed. Beds vary, and measuring beats a runner that's 6" too short.
Watch your seam allowance on those long joins. A scant 1/4" that drifts to 3/8" will show as a bow. I have absolutely sewn a wavy seam and had to pick it out. The fix is simply to redo that one seam, slower.
Slow down at the quilting stage. A walking foot helps feed three layers evenly. No walking foot? Lengthen your stitch to about 3.0 and ease up on the presser foot pressure if your machine allows it.
Want a lighter look? Put cream in the center with Geo on the outside strips. Same cutting, different mood. Options, not verdicts, around here.
Oh my goodness, this one is super duper satisfying on the bed. One fabric, straight seams, and the room looks pulled together. Just like that.
Thanks for sewing along with me, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Banyan 80055-24 Sophie Red/Cream Geo 45" wide fabric per yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
