I have to take summer sewing time when I can get it! In shorter spurts between yard work and other activities that fill the days when the sun finally comes out here in the PNW.
Lately, I've been getting some serious use out of my Dresden ruler, and of course, using up scraps! This festive little runner used some extra 2½” strips I had lying around. Then, I found this jumbo rickrack that made the perfect border. Wait until you see how easy this is!
This is an 18-degree Dresden ruler. It makes Dresden blocks with 20 blades.
I cross-cut about (10) 2½” strips into 5” chunks and then used the ruler to cut them into wedges.
Lay out twenty blades in a circle and sew them together two at a time.
Press the seams between each piece open. Sew the pairs of two into sets of four, and so on, until all twenty blades are sewn together. Give it a good press and maybe a spray of starch.
Now for the rickrack. You'll need about 40” of jumbo rickrack to go all the way around one circle. Rickrack is woven on the bias, so it will bend as you manipulate it around the edge and pin it in place.
When you get to the end, fold one end of the rickrack back and overlap the tail on top of it to conceal the raw edge.
Stitch the rickrack in place, keeping your seam about ¼” from the edge of the Dresden blades.
Roll the rickrack around the edge forcing the raw edges under with your fingers. Finger press this in place, then give it a quick press with the iron.
The base of the table runner is a 15” x 44” strip of white muslin. Center the Dresden circle right in the middle. Pin in place.
Stitch around the outside edge, right in the ditch created by the rickrack that is folded under. If you use a matching thread, this will barely show.
Cut a circle big enough to cover the center hole and press the edges under. Then, stitch it in place very close to the edge. I think a yo-yo would be a super cute idea for the center.
I repeated this whole process two more times, only with ten blades each time to make half circles. I mounted them on opposite sides at each end of the runner.
I quilted the background down with straight lines, and the Dresden blocks have simple quilting in each blade.
Wouldn’t this be cute as a single circle on a throw pillow or something?! Done in an afternoon and super festive :)
Happy Sunday, Everyone!
Krista
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