So, you won’t be setting a Christmas table for another six months, so why talk about tablescapes in July? Because now is the time to start searching for the things you might want to add to your collection, or sew up a table topper or runner. The table topper here is quilted and covers the entire top of the table. I set my placemats and dishes on top of it. It is the sampler quilt I showed a few days ago. Quilted table toppers and runners make wonderful Christmas gifts for your friends and family.
Last year I wanted some forest green chargers for my tablescaping stash, and could not find any. Not one. No where. Not even in the online stores, or auction sites. I scoured the local thrift stores to no avail. I did score some gold ones one year, and those just had to do.
For thrift store junkies like me, you never know when you’ll come across something perfect. These paper napkins were 50 cents in the final markdown basket at the thrift store. The black background went perfectly with my holiday luncheon plates. The key is to keep your eyes open. The same thing applies to shopping at the discount stores, tag sales, and out of season sale tables. Another idea, use those spreaders you never use at the breakfast table for butter or my Black Cherry Creme on Popovers. Those little touches for your family will bring holiday cheer all season long.
And keep your options open for small things that make a centerpiece interesting. Lots of small items together create a low display that guests can talk over and admire like these birdhouses and Santa figures. I find more of these little Santa figures every year, just bought another one last week. They are sitting on another quilted table topper.
An integral part of most of my tablescapes are quilted runners or table toppers. One I use over and over is the one shown in the picture below, a simple hexagonal shape with rings of alternating values and colors in red, green and ecru.
If you would like to do a runner, here is a link to the quilted runner I did last Christmas as a quilt-along. Christmas Star Runner
Another very simple runner can be made with Christmas fabric as the center surrounded by squares. Cut a piece of focus fabric 8 inches x 32 inches.
Cut 3-inch strips of red and green fabrics to coordinate with the print. You’ll need two WOF strips.
Sew the strips together, then cross cut 3-inches wide into two-square doublets. You’ll need to unpick a couple. You’ll need 18 red squares and 18 green squares three inches each.
Sew those together for a two color border. Two green squares and one red square were sewn together, then sewn to the ends. The side borders begin and end with red squares, 15 on each side.
Quilting it is simple, with King Tut thread of course. I cut the same red fabric into 2-1/2 inch strips for binding and stitched it in place.
I had a nice Sunday stitching down the binding on the back while watching the football games last fall. The little runner covers the book table in the kitchen. Christmas cookbooks are set out with it, these from my Gooseberry Patch collection.
I finally did find some green chargers, they came the last week of June! I’ll have them on the table this season.
Today’s giveaway is sponsored by
Superior Threads!
I absolutely love King Tut threads, wonderful for quilting those table toppers and runners and your Christmas quilts. The thread is strong, with a nice finish, and quilts beautifully through any kind of batting. Superior is offering a prize of 4 spools of King Tut Thread along with a pack of Superior needles! This giveaway is open to readers in the USA. Superior Threads Education. While you are there, if you wish, scroll to the bottom and sign up for their newsletter by looking for the box shown here in the bottom 
right corner. Come back and comment on what you learned! 
If you signed up for the newsletter, or you already subscribe, you can have a second entry, just leave a second comment saying you follow Superior. Want a third entry? Leave a comment if you follow my blog, and how you follow. Entries close on July 24th at noon, winners will be notified by email, and announced on the blog July 25th.
Drawing has been held and winner sent an email. Thank you for entering!
Sharing with some of the parties on my link page, and
From My Carolina Home 
I already follow Superior Threads. Would love to have a try at winning!
I follow you on Bloglovin.
I have been using polyester thread when sewing my seams-I didn’t realize that there is a chance of it melting when using a steam iron. Cotton thread from niw on! Great info. Thank you Susan
I am subscribed to Superior threads.
When at the superior web site I checked out the sections on metallic threads and the section on needles.
I follow you on bloglovin.
Subscribed to superior’s newsletter
Follow you by email. Discovered you through the Christmas blog hop.
I learned that I can use polyester thread for piecing, just watching the heat of my iron!!
I signed up for Superior Threads’ newsletter.
I learned so much about bobbins…tension issues, how much thread my bobbin holds and lots of great bobbin tips. I love King Tut thread and use it a lot. I am off to make your table runner…well actually it will be my table runner but I’m sure you knew that…thanks again for all of the inspiration. I think my Christmas will be very relaxed since I am getting a great head start.
Crystal in Cedar City
I am an email follower…
Crystal in Cedar City
I found out that bobbin thread should be a little thinner to help prevent fraying and breaking of thread.
I learned about tension and signed up for the newsletter.
Following Superior Threads.
following you on bloglovin’.
I follow you via email.
I follow Superior Threads via email.
I learned about the monopoly “invisible” thread. I am going to try some on a project i am working on.
I follow you by e-mail and love seeing the pictures of your area. I also live in the Appalachian Mountains about 40 miles northeast of you, very near the Blue Ridge Parkway!
I follow Superior Threads via e-mail.
I already follow Superior threads and love their thread choices. I appreciate the tutorials and question/answers they have. One thing I recently learned from them is that direct sunlight can weaken thread. Good thing to know!
I get their newsletter via email
I follow you via e-mail.
I have not worked with metallic threads yet. So I checked that out. Wow I knew none of this. Going slow and why, tension, placing spool properly on machine and why, etc. very cool indeed. Book marked that page for all this wonderful educational hints. thanks for sharing this page with us.
There are neutral colors in every color family. This is the surprising fact I learned on the Superior Threads education site. The first 25 colors of the Bottom Line are the first neutral colors they manufactured.
I already subscribe to the Superior Threads newsletter.
I’ve never heard of fusible thread so that’s a new one for me. I do have some ‘invisible’ thread so I’ll need to check out what type it is :p
I follow Superior Threads 🙂
Last but not least, I follow your blog daily, via email – keep up the good work 🙂 I hope to start making some Christmas gifts soon so will be checking out your tutorials.
I went to the site and realized I already had been there before! I found them when I was looking for tension help – very nice video to follow. Thanks for the chance.
I put my address to follow Superior Threads. Thanks for the second chance.
And I get your updates via email. Always inspiration and information. Thanks for sharing and for the third chance.
I am an email subscriber to Superior Threads.
I always learn something when reading information on Superior Threads. I learned to be more careful about the temperature of my iron with certain threads.
I follow by email
i would love to try the MasterPiece Set of 4 Light Neutral Spools. I like that they have a “try me” option for thread.
I follow you by email!
I clicked on “tutorials” on the Superior site and learned how to make fiber art using thread snips! I have a secret stash of thread snips and this would be a wonderful project to make….I might have to keep sewing and snipping those threads to have enough though!
I follow your blog on Bloglovin’ and I do love Superior Threads!
i follow Superior Threads
I went and watched a video on how to do a French Seam! It was great and I will definitely be using this technique for many seams in the future! Thank you for sharing their site, it is a thread I have not tried and would be interested in trying. Plus, you know I love your table settings and everything that you do with them. So you just keep on sharing every little bit and have fun with it, your new Santa is adorable! I have been trying to find the opportunity to make the table runner we made last year again this year, but have not found the opportunity yet…but the fabrics are all laid out waiting for the moment to get cut up and made into the beautiful table runner again! Thank you for sharing and have a fantastic creative day!
Bobbin tension! great video, easier to understand than still photos. I’ve only messed with mine once, with okay results, but I am a thread heathen, coats and clark from JoAnn is my go to, and I have yet to use the beautiful threads I won last year, one of those “save for something special” cases… but since I only top stitch or quilt in the ditch right now, why am I waiting? I need to get my middle aged Viking in for adjusting, when I drop the feed dogs, it doesn’t engage the bobbin thread. Time to pull out the Singer 301 I think, and give her a work out! I’ll be back to their site to learn some more. thanks!
sharon in co
Thanks for showing all of your lovely projects! I have never used Superior Threads, but I’ve been reading about their products off and on for the last 2 weeks. I’d love to try them! Thanks for the chance!
Enjoyed your blog and am now a follower via email. Love the table settings and table runner.
Currently a follower of Superior threads. The sompany is so informative.
When looking at their website, the information stressed the importance of matching the thread to the fabric for piecing quilts. So many quilters use neutral beige colors but all colors have their own neutral. Good info to know when constructing all quilts outside of the utility quilt category. It’s easy to become complacent and just use whatever I have on hand but no more!
Following Superior Threads. Thank you.
I checked out the information on thread tension. Always need that. Thank you.
a great place for all that information. And although I do not qualify, as am way down in NZ, still need to comment on your lovely patterns for table toppers. The hexagon one will be on my list to make for presents later in the year.
I learned how to sew with metallic thread, something that I have struggled with always.
I get superior’s newsletter.
I follow you through email.
I learned that it is okay to use a polyester thread with cotton fabrics because, “thread will not tear through a fabric solely due to its fiber content. If a thread ever tears through a fabric, it is because it won the strength contest.”
I already get Superior Thread’s newsletter.
follow via gmail
HI,I already get Superior Thread’s newsletter-GMAIL
NEAT SHOP! I learned Polyester is ok with cottons. Thanks for sharing a great giveaway!
Hi…I learned about thread, and tips and looked through their tutorials….and bookmarked the page to go back when I have more time. Your tablescapes are so beautiful. As hot as it is here today I can hardly wait for Christmas. I think I’m more excited about this giveaway….I haven’t tried King Tut threads yet…I’ve bought So Fine online from Superior. Wish me luck!
I follow Superior Threads via email…and look forward to Bob’s lame jokes each week…lol….honestly, though, I just love those corny things.
I follow you via email too…and look forward to each post. Thank you.
The best thing ever…balance my thread size to the needle size!
I follow by email, really enjoy your blog posts. Superior is my go to thread!
I follow Superiors newsletters by email. Bob does have the best sense of humor!
I learned how to make a French Seam, so simple yet it would be so effective. Love your Christmas runners! Thank you for the giveaways!
I signed up for Superior’s Newsletter!
The info and charts on proper tension are great.
Following you by email
Signed up for superior email. Love king tut!
I learned that you can use polyester threads with cottons.
I get their newsletter.
I follow your blog with bloglovin.
I liked reading about how to fix my tension problems.
Was cool to learn polyester thread is ok with cotton fabrics…I did not know that. Glad to know! 🙂
I get Superior’s Newsletter now too 🙂
I follow you thru Email & Bloglovin 🙂
Thank you for chance to win your Give-a-way!! 😀
I learned polyester thread is ok itch cotton fabrics
I learned tat a quilt should be pieced with cotton (to withstand iron temperatures) and quilted with any kind of thread (as long as it is Superior!)
I get the Superior thread newsletter. Thanks!
I follow your lovely blog via Bloglovin. Thanks for all that you share!
I’m from the South, so of course I’m always interested in learning more about Cotton and Cotton Thread! As a young girl, one summer I even picked cotton in the field – before cotton picking machines came along. Today, I learned that an average cotton boll is about two inches in diameter and contains 500,000 fibers of cotton and that each plant may bear up to 100 bolls.
I follow Superior Thread by newsletter.
I like Superior Threads huge amt. of info. on needles, and buy their needles.
I never get the tension right, so good chart to have. Never have tried this thread, would be fun to win some!
I love Superior threads – it’s the only metallic I like. My favorite is the silver variegated metallic, though I like the gold one, too. I learned that a lot of the big names are using polyester threads these days.
I do already get the Superior newsletter. I like the jokes, clean groaners usually. =) I also like King Tut, so I’m always looking for a sale on it.
And I follow you by e-mail! Thanks so much to you and Superior Threads for a great giveaway!
Started on a Christmas table topper today. Thank you for the tutorial and push to get started. Found some good colors . Read you on email.
I have had that page bookmarked for a long time for tension issues.
I am a huge ST fan, already receive their NL.
I follow you on BL.
I love all of your table toppers. I REALLY like your Hexagon table topper and would just LOVE to make one of two.
I learned what the correct bobbin is for my sewing machine Singer Quantum L5000. I did not realize how many different machines there were. Superior had 26 pages worth.
I signed up for the newsletter at Superior.
I follow your blog by email.
I would like to try superior thread
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Your photos are great and thanks for sharing your links with us at Celebrate Your Story, have a fantastic week.