Mini Tree Table Runner – Quilt As You Go Tutorial
In this tutorial, Bob demonstrates how to turn four Mini Tree Template Christmas tree blocks into a simple quilt as you go table runner. He explains how to lay out the trees in alternating colors and directions, then walks through measuring and cutting the batting and backing based on the tree sizes and seam allowances. After stitching the trees down one at a time using a center-start method, he shows how the backing fabric folds over to create an easy border with clean mitered corners. The result is a quick, beginner-friendly holiday runner that is fully quilted and ready to use right away.
This is a quilt as you go project, and it makes a simple but adorable little table runner for the holidays. The design features small Christmas trees made with the Mini Tree Template Set. If you have not watched that tutorial yet, be sure to check it out first, because today we are taking those trees and turning them into something you can actually use and enjoy in your home.
Start with your finished Christmas tree blocks. Each tree measures 6 inches wide by 9 inches tall. For this runner, I made four trees total, two green and two red. The exact fabrics I used are linked here and here if you want to match the same look. Once your trees are ready, decide on your layout. I chose to alternate colors and direction, so the trees point different ways as they go down the runner. That simple change adds movement and makes the whole piece feel more playful.
To turn the trees into a quilt as you go table runner, you will need batting and a backing fabric. I did not use a pattern for this, so here is how I figured out the measurements. Since each tree is 6 inches wide, four trees lined up side by side would be 24 inches. However, seam allowances reduce that total. Every time two pieces meet, you lose a half inch total, because each side takes a quarter inch seam allowance. With four trees, there are three seams. So, 24 inches minus 1.5 inches equals 22.5 inches. That means the batting needs to be 22.5 inches long. The trees are 9 inches tall, so the batting size is 22.5 inches by 9 inches.
Next comes the backing fabric. In quilt as you go, the backing also becomes the finished border, so choose something you love. I used the same green fabric as one of my trees so everything coordinated nicely. Your backing should be 2 inches larger than the batting in both directions. So if the batting is 22.5 by 9, your backing will be 24.5 by 11. Cut your backing to 24.5 inches by 11 inches.
I like starting in the center and working outward, so I drew a line down the middle of the backing fabric. This line represents the stitching line, not the exact center between two trees. Place your first tree so it covers that line by about a quarter inch. Stitch a quarter inch seam along the edge, then open the tree out and press. Continue adding trees one at a time, stitching each new piece to the previous one, then opening and pressing again. Once all four trees are stitched down, you will have your main runner structure secured to the batting and backing.
Borders are one of my favorite parts of quilt as you go because they are quick, tidy, and make the project feel finished immediately. To create the border, fold the backing fabric up over the batting edge once, then fold it again over the front of the runner and pin it in place. Topstitch around the border, but start and stop your stitching just inside the batting edge, about an eighth of an inch in. This makes the corners easier to finish cleanly.
When you reach a corner, fold the fabric inward at a 45 degree angle. Then fold the border up and over the edge as you did before, pressing each fold. This creates a neat mitered corner. Continue topstitching to the mitered edge, rotate your project, and repeat the same corner fold on each side. After all four borders are stitched down, your table runner is complete.
That is all it takes to create this mini tree quilt as you go table runner. You get a fully quilted project that is ready to use right away. Put it on a kitchen island, dining table, or anywhere you want a festive touch. It is a great beginner-friendly Christmas project, and it comes together quickly. I hope you give this one a try, and as always, happy sewing.
