DIY (No Sew) Table Runner

Our dining room table is such a random size. It's definitely not a rectangle but not quite a square. I wanted to make a table runner to put across it but didn't feel like sewing on this particular day. I found some inspiration from a placemat project that Michaels had on one of their free project cards in store and added my own flair.

I found some laminated burlap at my local Michaels, grabbed my stencils that I had just used on my mirror makeover project, and a permanent marker.

The laminated burlap was in a rolled up package so I stretched it across my table and held it down with painters tape.* 

*My Mom suggested I roll the burlap up in the opposite direction to counter the direction in kept curling. I rolled my eyes and figured the painters tape would do the trick but, of course, my mother ended up being right (per usual, when does it stop?) After I stenciled all my words I followed her advice.

Secured my first stencil with more painters tape, grabbed my permanent marker and started my first word.

I chose words that pertained to both feelings (love) and eating (savor, etc.), mixing them up and separating each word with a cute symbol I found in my alphabet stencils.

Here is how the table runner looked once I was done with all the stenciling.

My dining room has some dark wood, a small bar, and wine racks adorning the wall so I wanted this table runner to have a bit of a romantic edge. I realized I had a few leftover rolls of the chiffon ruffle ribbon I had used on my crafty curtain tie backs.

I lined the seam of the ribbon to the edge of the burlap and grabbed my glue gun. Hot glue dries quickly so I glued and pressed as I went along.

I glued all the way to the bottom edge of the first side, put a dot of hot glue on the top of the ribbon, folded some ribbon over (onto the glue) and continued gluing and pressing along the bottom of the burlap.

I went through about 3 rolls of the ribbon and when I ran out of one, I just lined up the next roll to the end of the last. By carefully placing each end to the next beginning roll, the result was seamless.

This project was ridiculously simple. I didn't even measure between words, just lined up using my fingers and eyeballing it (I can't believe I just used that term, it grosses me out).

Cute right? And what is easier than burlap, permanent marker, stencils and ribbon?

ETA: I just wiped barbecue sauce and juice off the table runner (not from the same meal, that would be gross). Just a damp paper towel did the trick! One of the benefits of the burlap being laminated.

~ B