Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
I am thrilled to be contributing to the new Craft Hub blog, where each month I will be sharing simple sewing tips and projects.
Before I share my project I wanted to tell you a few things about myself. I’m a serial sewist, occasional pattern designer, master gardener and traditional-foods enthusiast. I share my passions at my blog, The Seasoned Homemaker, where I comment on all things delightfully domestic. You will find lots of sewing tutorials, gardening ideas and my favorite recipes (which all happen to be gluten-free). And, we’ve recently downsized to a new home so I will be sharing about how we’re reducing our lifestyle. I hope you’ll stop by to visit!
Of all my passions, sewing is the one I love the most, especially appliqué. Appliqué is super easy and doesn’t require any special equipment. You really don’t need a sewing machine, but having one is an asset.
Because Thanksgiving is just around the corner, I’ve created a simple and inexpensive Appliquéd Thanksgiving Table Runner project that anyone can make.
Here’s what you need:
- 2 yards burlap
- 1/4 yard of 3 to 4 fall-colored cotton fabrics
- 1 yard double-sided fusible web product, such as WonderUnder or Steam A Seam 2
- thread
- scissors
- iron/ironing Board
Step 1
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
Cut a 14- by 65-inch piece of burlap. Serge or hem all raw edges of the burlap.
Step 2
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
Print out leaf templates and cut out shapes. Trace the leaf shapes onto the waxy backing of fusible web product. Rough-cut around each shape. The amount of leaves you use is up to you, but I recommend at least three of each shape.
Step 3
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
Place cut-out shapes onto back side of fall-colored fabric fusible web side down and waxy paper side up. With a hot, dry iron fuse the product to the back of the fabric.
Step 4
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
Carefully cut out each leaf shape. (I like to do this when I’m waiting in the car or watching TV.)
Step 5
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
Randomly place leaves onto burlap until you are happy with the layout, then peel the waxy backing off the fusible web. I like to pin the leaves before I iron them down.
Step 6
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
Press leaves in place with a hot, dry iron. Use a pressing cloth to protect the burlap and your iron.
Optional Step
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
Straight-stitch around the edges of each leaf using a contrasting thread.
 Photo by Leslie Rutland/The Seasoned Homemaker |
A few comments:
I designed this project for all levels of sewing and even non-sewists. It isn’t absolutely necessary to top stitch the leaves, but I found that some of my leaves didn’t completely adhere to the burlap and I had to re-iron them back down.
Also, burlap sheds a lot. You will want to brush out your sewing machine (and yourself!) afterwards.
This turned out to be an easy and fun project that I hope you will enjoy it, too.
