I am a huge fan of neutral decor pieces that function in more than one season. That’s why drop cloth is such a great material!
Drop cloth is canvas material used by painters to protect floors from spills. They come in different sizes; 6’x9′, 8’x10′, 9’x12′, 12’x15′, and more. So many size options! It usually comes in a soft beige color or white.
Drop cloth is so easy to find! Most hardware stores carry a few different size options, or you can always find some online. I get mine from my local Ace Hardware.
Wanting to take on a sewing project that’s quick, extremely basic, and simple to make? Would you like something to spruce up your table decor in a homemade way? Well, this is your project! This simple table runner is very inexpensive and quite easy to make. I promise you can do this! The nature of this piece is to be a basic decor item that carries from one season to the next. Find all the info you need to make this table runner today. I’ve also listed additional sewing projects at the very end of this post!
How to Sew a Drop Cloth Table Runner
Notes:
- This tutorial is completely customizable. Use a different material, add other embellishments, or make it for a table of any size.
- If you wash your fabric, make sure to do it BEFORE taking measurements and sewing it all together. Shrinkage is a very real thing!
Tools You Will Need
- Fabric (I’m using canvas drop cloth, but any material will work!)
- Sewing machine
- Measuring tape
- Pins (optional)
- Iron
- Scissors
- Coordinating thread
Step 1. Iron
Drop cloth can be pretty wrinkly, so you’ll want to iron it before doing anything else. This step is important because lots of wrinkles change your measurements!
Step 2. Measure
Next, measure your table. Mine is almost a perfect square with the measurements being 36″x39″.
Now that you know the measurements of your table, choose how long you want your table runner to be. For example, I knew that I wanted my runner to hang about 2 inches off the edge of the table, so I took that into account when measuring my drop cloth.
My table runner measurements ended up being 15 inches wide and 45 inches long. Remember to add 1 inch in seam allowance to your measurements. That would put my measurements at 16″x46″
Step 3. Cut the Fabric
Cut your fabric according to your measurements. Don’t forget to add 1″ of seam allowance to the length and the width!
Step 4. Sew
Fold 1/2″ over along all the sides to create your hem. You can either use pins to keep the hem in place or you can iron it into place. I chose to iron mine. Do this on both of the long sides and sew in place.
Now that both of the longest sides are sewed, do the same process with the shorter sides. Fold 1/2″ over, iron, and sew into place. Make sure to back-stitch when your meet the corners in order to make the seam a bit stronger.
Add the finished product to your table and let the decorating fun begin!
If you make this project and love how it turned out, feel free to come back and comment about your experience. I’d love to see your creation and how you used it!
More Simple Sewing Projects
- How to Sew a Pillow Case
- How to Sew a Pot Holder
- How to Sew Cafe Curtains
- All About Drop Cloth
- How to Cover a Seat Cushion in Drop Cloth