Flip and Sew runner instructions....2008

I took this as a workshop with a local teacher and do not know who to credit the original pattern to. I'm not very good on tutorial and didn't take enough photos while working on this, but my sister wants the instructions, so I may as well put them here for anyone else who might want to make one. They make great gifts and are easy to make.You need: A piece of backing 20" by 60"

This will make a runner with 6 sets of strips at each end and a finished length of 52". I have never made one that long yet.

A piece of batting the same size.

Your center square is 6"

The strips are assorted colors cut (2 apiece) 2 1/2" by 6" and 2 1/2" by 8"

How many you need depends on how long you want the runner to be.

Lay out the backing and batting and mark a vertical and horizontal line through the center on the batting in pencil. This becomes your sewing guide line. Pin all of this together well enough that you can move it back and forth to the sewing machine. You are quilting this runner as you make it.

I recommend laying out the pieces ahead of time to make sure you understand where everything goes and how to position it. If you place your first 2 strips on the wrong sides of the square you will end up going vertical instead of horizontal! You are at all times sewing through the top, batting, and backing.

Start: Pin the square in the center with the points touching your lines. On-point position.

Choose your first two 6" pieces and lay them on opposite sides of the square. Sew a quarter inch seam through all layers. Press them open. Now position the 8" pieces on the opposite sides and do the same. When the 8" pieces are sewn down their point should touch the horizontal line....this tells you if you are going straight or not! In this photo the 8" pieces are not sewn down yet and the points are not touching the line.

The inner border is 1 1/2" wide. Sew the side strips first and then the end strips. You lay the border pieces wrong side up right along where the pieces on each side form their "v" and sew a quarter inch seam.....look at the top photo to see where I mean. You can actually play around with the borders and do something different if you choose. The outer border is 3 1/2" wide.
I always lay my strips in a mixed up fashion, but many people prefer to use the same fabric for both the 6" and 8" piece in each stripe for a more symmetrical framed look. Bind the edges like you would any quilt.

The number of strips you use determines the finished length. If you want to try to get by with a 45" cut of fabric for the backing, you will only use 4 sets of strips. That will produce a runner that is about 41" long. This one has 5 sets and is a bit longer. Here is my finished runner! I made this one as a hostess gift when I went to Iowa.

The back. This runner is reversible if you choose a nice fabric for the back.