Hey everyone. Today you're going to learn how to make a bright bed runner that lets one beautiful wideback fabric do all the showing off.
Here we go.
The fabric first
This is the Black Multi Bright Butterlies Flying Bravo Cotton Wideback Fabric Per Yard from Timeless Treasures.
Let's start with the numbers.
It is 108 inches wide.
It is cotton.
And it is sold per yard, so you order the length you need.
It is part of the Bravo Basic Cotton Wideback collection, known for its wide range of print and color options.
The print is the fun part, folks. Bright multi-colored butterflies fly across a black backdrop. That contrast is strong. The black makes the colors pop. The butterflies keep it joyful.
Here's why the width matters here. A bed runner is long across the bed. Regular quilting cotton would need a seam in the middle. At 108 inches wide, this fabric gives you one smooth piece. No seam interrupting those butterflies. Just like that.
The project: a bed runner
A bed runner is a long, narrow quilt across the foot of the bed. It adds color without covering the whole quilt. It also protects the foot of your bedding, where feet and paws tend to land.
Mine finishes at about 88 by 24 inches for a queen bed. That gives you drape down both sides. You can size it up or down for your bed. Completely up to you.
This fabric suits a bed runner for three reasons. First, those butterflies deserve to be seen whole, not chopped into little squares. A whole-cloth top shows them off. Second, that 108-inch width covers the full length in one cut. Third, cotton is comfortable, washable, and easy to quilt.
Let's do the math together.
Your finished runner is 88 by 24 inches. Cut your top 89 by 25 inches. That gives you a 1/2 inch seam allowance on all sides.
From this wideback, the 108-inch width gives you the 89-inch length. The 25 inches comes off your yardage. Plan on 1 yard. You will have a good leftover strip from that yard, and we will use it for binding.
If I can do this, y'all can do it.
What you need
- 1 yard of this wideback fabric for the runner top and binding described above
- Backing fabric: 1 piece cut 89 by 25 inches, in a solid or small print
- Batting cut 89 by 25 inches
- Thread to match the black ground, plus a quilting thread you like
- Safety pins or basting spray, ruler, and rotary cutter
- Your sewing machine with a walking foot, if you have one
Brief steps
One. Press your fabrics well. Check the butterfly direction before you cut. Decide which way is up across your bed.
Two. Cut the top and backing to 89 by 25 inches. Square up your edges as you go.
Three. From the leftover wideback, cut 2 1/2 inch strips for binding. Join them until you have about 240 inches. That covers the 224-inch edge, plus room for corners.
Four. Layer it up. Backing right side down, batting in the middle, butterfly top right side up. Smooth it flat.
Five. Baste the layers together. Pin every 4 to 6 inches. Start in the center. Work your way out.
Six. Quilt it your way. A gentle meander, freehand, travels nicely around the butterflies. Echo a few shapes if you want more texture. I quilt these at about 8 to 10 stitches per inch on my machine setting.
Seven. Go slow over thick spots. Slow down or the needle snaps. Ask me how I know.
Eight. Trim the edges even. Sew the binding on with a 1/4 inch seam. Fold it over and finish by machine or by hand.
Tips from my table to yours
Test your quilting on a small scrap sandwich first. Black fabric shows tension wobbles. A two-minute test saves a lot of seam ripping later.
Try two options on that test piece. Quilt around the butterflies, or quilt through them with a soft meander. I prefer around them, so the butterflies stay puffy. Completely up to you.
Here's your permission beat, and I mean it. Your meander does not have to be perfect. A little wobble still holds the layers together. You're your own worst critic. Take your time. It's not a race.
We're not reinventing the wheel here. One wide cut, simple layering, easy quilting, and binding from the leftover. Super duper fun when those butterflies land across the foot of the bed.
Alrighty. Thanks for sewing along with me today, folks. We'll see you next time. Bye.
Shop the Black Multi Bright Butterlies Flying Bravo Cotton Wideback Fabric Per Yard at Linda's Electric Quilters.
