Chain Link Runner - Part 1

Who's up for a sew along?  A few of my FaceBook quilting buddies are in, so I thought I'd post the "tutorial" here.  We'll start today with the cutting for my original pattern for a Chain Link Runner!  I have set up a FlickR group for this, so if you do make the runner, please add your runner to the group!  I'd love to see yours!  (I've never started a group on FlickR before, so I sure hope I did that right!)

Here we go!

Chain Link Runner

by Karen Z. Kryschtal

A 16 x 60” table runner

All seam allowances 1/4”

Fabric requirements:

☛ You can easily do this runner from a Jelly Roll. You can get two runners from a Jelly Roll, binding included. If you’d like to cut yardage ...

For runner:
15 (2-1/2 x 35”) strips of different fabrics
OR 14 (2-1/2 x 35”) strips and 2 (2-1/2 x 17-1/2”) strips
For binding:
4 (2-1/4 x width of fabric) strips (or cut strips whatever width you like your binding by width of fab)
OR cut from your scraps
OR (if using a Jelly Roll) 4 more 2-1/2” strips from your roll

Backing - be creative! ☺
Batting - I like cotton

General needs:

You’ll need basic rotary cutting equipment, a good sewing machine, neutral-colored thread, a new sewing machine needle (always start a new project with a new needle!), pins, cool quilting thread, good music and/or something lined up in your Netflix instant queue, beverages of your choice (I recommend strongly brewed espresso roast coffee, black, no sugar, Diet Coke with Lime, or Crystal Light Iced Tea)... and other assorted sewing notions.

I also recommend masking tape or painter’s tape and a permanent marker.

Cutting:

From 14 of your strips, sub-cut the following:
2 (2-1/2 x 14-1/2”)
1 (2-1/2 x 4-1/2”)
From the 15th strip, sub-cut:
2 (2-1/2 x 14-1/2”)
2 (2-1/2” squares)
☛if you are using 2 17-1/2” strips, cut a 2-1/2 x 14-1/2” strip and a 2-1/2” square from each

If you want to cut your binding now, knock yourself out. 160” should give you plenty of leeway. I never cut mine until the end; that gives me time to change my mind 38 times.  I like creative bindings.

...And I never cut my backing until I’m done.

Here is my cutting process:

This is where I get the tape and marker out. I tag the fabs as I cut and lay them out, switching the order to get a color arrangement I like. Just be careful when you press things NOT to hit the tape!!!

Keep your colors separated! Make neat little piles somewhere.

I'm using the same fab for my "A" and "Z" strips

From that 15th strip or 2 shorter strips, make two piles, each with a 14-1/2” strip and a 2-1/2” square. These will be known as “A” and “Z”. Number your other fabs 1-14. You’ll want some contrast between sequential numbers.

Get everything ready - layout and sewing come next!

Be back later with more!

Thanks for reading - and sewing along!