Whenever I learn a new skill I like to build off of that skill. Sometimes you can tweak something just a little bit to create a new look. That is exactly what we are going to do here. We are going to take the base block we made in “The Fastest and Easiest Quilt Ever” Part One and sew it together on a diagonal. By doing this small project you will see how you can use this new skill on a larger scale for blankets as well. Here we are just going to make a small table runner so this project will come together quickly. Maybe you even have some fabric left over from your quilt you made from my tutorial so you can make a coffee table runner that matches your throw blanket! Look how lovely my living room looks now!
If you need a recap on how to assemble your blocks you can find the post HERE.
You will only need a few blocks to complete this table runner. Get ten blocks together and we will get started!
Five full blocks are needed. Position them up as pictured below.
Next you will cut four blocks in half diagonally. You will now have eight triangles, however, you will only need seven of them. Now you will position them as pictured below.
You will use your last block to finish the corners. To do this you will need to cut it along the diagonal twice. You will have made four triangles, however, you will only need two of them for this project. Position the triangles as pictured below.
There are five diagonal rows for this table runner. We will sew each row together, and then press the seams.
Note that on row five you won’t have any blocks to sew together since there is only one triangle in that row! YAY! Row five is already finished.
I won’t go into extensive detail here on how to assemble your rows. But, with that said, be sure to pin your seams! Always pin the seams! Always!
Start with row 1. Place right sides together. 
Pin Seams. 
Sew 1/4″ Seam. 
Work through your rows until you have completed sewing them all. 
Finished rows. 
Press your seams.
After you press your seams you will sew all of your rows together.
Two rows sewn together! 
Just need to finish row five. 
Press this seams.
Now that the quilt top is finished we can assemble our quilt sandwich! Then we can baste the layers together. I am going to pin baste, but of course, spray basting is always an option.
Lay your backing fabric face down. 
Smooth the fabric and tape it in place. 
Lay down your batting and smooth. 
Lay down the quilt top and smooth. 
Pin through all layers. 
Finish pinning.
After you get everything basted it is time to quilt! We are going to throw back to a previous tutorial and stitch in the ditch first then use our quilting guide bar and quilt through the middle of our squares to add more detail.
If you need a more detailed walk through refresh yourself HERE.
Stitch in the seams to quilt. 
Quilt all seams. 
Attach your guide bar and measure. 2.25 inches from guide bar to needle position for these blocks. 
With your guide bar at the seam quilt the middle of your blocks. 
Check out those straight lines! 
Quilt in both directions!
After you have finished quilting it is time to trim of the batting and backing fabric. You will also need to prep your binding strips.
I cut my binding strips 2.5″ by the width of the fabric I purchased. I then place them right sides together and sew 1/4″ seam along the short ends of the fabric. I piece them together like this end to end making a long chain. I then press the seams open and fold the fabric in half and press. Once you have prepped your binding it is time to sew it onto the back of your quilt. Don’t start sewing right at the corner, and be sure to leave about a foot of binding unsewn so that you have enough room to sew your binding ends together when you reach back to where you began sewing.
The hardest part when binding your quilt is the corners… in my humble opinion.
What you will need to do is sew along your binding with a 1/4″ seam allowance. When you get to a corner stop sewing about 1/4 from the edge. Lower your needle and raise your presser foot. Then you will want to turn your fabric so the corner is facing you and you are able to sew a 45 degree angle to the corner of the quilt. You will then raise your binding strip straight up from the corner creating a 45 degree angle with the fabric. Then fold it straight down and pin. You will then start sewing a 1/4″ seam along that side of the quilt as well. Continue this process until you are back to where you started. Don’t sew right to where you started your binding though! give yourself room to sew your binding strips together.
Don’t start sewing right at the beginning of your binding strip. 
Sew 1/4″ seam. 
Use a stiletto if needed. This will help keep your binding in place. 
Stop 1/4″ from corner. 
Lower your needle and raise your presser foot. 
Turn your fabric so the corner faces you. 
Sew 45 degree angle to the corner. 
Raise binding up. 
Then fold the binding down and pin.
To sew your binding ends together you will want to trim your binding so that there is only 1/2″ overlap. Place right sides together and sew a 1/4″ seam. Press the seam open. Finish sewing the binding onto the back of the quilt.
After the binding is on the back of the quilt I like to press it open and then fold it onto the front of the quilt. I hold the binding in place with wonder clips to make sewing the binding down much easier.
You can find wonder clips by clicking the image below.
1/2″ overlap. 
Right sides together. Sew. 
Press open the seam. 
Make sure binding lays flat. 
Finished sewing. 
Iron binding open. 
Fold binding over front of quilt and use wonder clips to hold binding in place for sewing.
Once you have your binding in place it is time to sew! We are at the finish line!
Let’s sew as close to the inner edge of the binding as we can without sewing onto the quilt top. When you get to the corner of the quilt you will sew just onto the edge of the 45 degree fold of the binding. Then lower the needle and raise the pressure foot. Turn the quilt and sew along the next side of the binding. Continue this process until you reach where you first began sewing! Trim your strings and celebrate!
Sew along inner edge of binding. Use a stiletto to hold binding in place. 
When you reach a corner sew onto the fold of the binding. 
Lower the needle and raise the presser foot. Turn the quilt. 
Once the quilt is turned you can begin sewing along the next side of the binding.
This table runner is a very quick project to make. It comes together really quickly, however, you can use this same project to make a nice big quilt! Turning the blocks at an angle is really easy to do and it gives your project a completely new look using skills you already know!
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
Bye for now.
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