Halloween Table Runner DIY Guest post from Brittany of Nothing New

Hello again fellow Sally Ann enthusiasts! I'm Brittany and I run a little upcycling business called Nothing New. I make all kinds of clothing and accessories from recycled materials, and sell them in my Etsy shop. Needless to say, I’m continually inspired by Sally’s creations.

This year I’m throwing my first Halloween party and I’m trying to be extra-grown up and thematic about it, so I’m whipping up all kinds of DIY decor. Today I want to share this spooky table runner with you; it’s made out of recycled materials and cost me less than $10.

Materials:

❤ Fabric - I used white canvas from a curtain

❤ Acrylic Paint - I used the cheapest bulk version

❤ Cardstock or Cardboard

❤ Sewing machine or needle and thread

❤ Tassles

❤ Vinegar

❤ Iron

❤ Press cloth

❤ 1 - Decide how wide you want your table runner to be ( I wanted 13”) and add an extra inch for seam allowance. Cut your fabric into strips of your chosen width and stitch them together. Make sure to iron the seams flat. ❤ 2 - Lay your sewn fabric on your table and decide how far you want the end to hang off of the table. Trim each side to this length. ❤ 3 - Fold both corners of the end to meet each other and press. ❤ 4 - Cut along the fold lines ❤ 5 - Fold the raw edges of your runner over ½” and stitch in place.

❤ 6 - Get out your cardboard or cardstock and draw yourself a purdy picture. I chose a bunnylope because what’s scarier than that? Cut out your image to make a stencil. ❤ 7 - Place the first stencil in the middle of your runner, or over any age spots or flaws in the fabric if necessary. ❤ 8 - Paint your stencil, making sure to get the edge of the fabric too. ❤ 9 - Continue until your whole runner is covered in stencils ❤ 10 - Go back and fix up any wonky bits ❤ 11 - Choose a press cloth that you don’t mind throwing away (I used a bit of sheet) and soak it in vinegar ❤ 12 - Squeeze out the press cloth over your painted image so the vinegar drips onto it ❤ 13 - Lay the damp press cloth over your image. Set your iron to high steam and press for 1-2 minutes. Repeat wherever there is paint. ❤ 14 - Flip the runner over and give it another good press. ❤ 15 - Hand sew the tassels to the points you have created on the ends.

There you have it! The vinegar press locks in the paint so you don’t have to worry about spills and you can wash your runner when the party’s over. If you’re having trouble finding tassels, check your local thrift store for pillows, lamp shades and valances. You are bound to find some!

Thanks for reading! You can visit my blog for more upcycled Halloween ideas this month!

xo brittany