10 Days of Craftsmas!: Day 1 - Rustic Rosette Runner

Today, we kick off the 10 Days of Craftsmas with the first project that Maddy of Somewhere Splendid and I designed. The Rustic Rosette Runner is an easy project that lends itself to rough edges and a deconstructed, unfussy look. The gorgeous rosettes would make a dynamic addition to a golden, glittering dessert table display.


This project is so simple, that Maddy was able to churn out a ton of these gorgeous, button-centered rosettes while leisurely watching Battlestar Gallatica!


The golden glow of candlelight enriches the gold chargers and candle holders, while casting a soft halo onto the shimmering rosette fabrics. Just look at the difference the candlelight makes in the image on the right.

A beautiful metallic runner, shimmery fabrics, golden candleholders, and glittery candles make this project luxe without a ludicrous price tag. Want to recreate this simple tabletop decor? Check out Maddy's tutorial below.

Supplies:

½ yard muslin
½ yard satin finish fabric
½ yard linen or lightweight burlap
rolls of tulle (optional)
sewing needle
thread
assorted buttons
scissors
table runner (prefabricated or handmade)

Instructions:

Cut 12 to 15" pieces of fabric and/or tulle in various widths, then arrange the pieces to taste with one edge aligned so that widest piece is at the bottom and the thinnest at the top. Each length of fabric within a single rosette should be the same length but different widths. Allow the strips to be imperfect - embrace the fraying edges and the different widths of each layer as something that makes each rosette unique and visually interesting. 

Thread a sewing needle and knot the end. Starting from the back of one corner, push the needle through to the front and begin creating stitches about 1" long that are evenly spaced about 1" apart. The stitch line should stay close to the bottom of the fabric strips - no more than ¼" from the edge. When you reach the end, pull the thread through the fabric so that it begins to gather up. Form the gathered fabric into a circle, then knot the thread to secure and cut off any excess. Sew the two edges together by blind hemming to create a finished rosette.

Repeat to create more rosettes, varying the fabric combinations, orders, and strip numbers. The fewer and smaller strips you have, the smaller the rosette. To add more variety, consider clipping select layers part way down their width to create "fringe petals".

Iron your table runner (we purchased a very pretty champagne metallic runner from Target that was stiff and therefore required minimal ironing). Spread out the table runner across a long surface and arrange your rosettes to your liking before securing. If you'd prefer it to be denser than we opted to show, create more rosettes as needed.

To secure the rosettes to the runner, thread your needle and, starting from the back of the runner, create a small stitch close to the inside edge of the rosette. Aim to push the needle through a "valley" area so that the gathered fabric helps hide the stitch. Reinforce the stitch by layering a few additional stitches on top of the original, then tie it off to finish it on the underside of the runner. Repeat on the opposite side of the rosette so another stitch is 180º from the original securing stitch.

Pair the secured rosette with a button of your choosing that is slightly larger than the hole in the middle of the rosette. Center the button above the hole, then sew them onto the runner so that the button presses down on the rosette and helps secure it (but not so tight that the rosette becomes squashed). Repeat for the rest of the rosettes to complete.

Congrats, you're on your way to a fabulous tabletop for the holidays!

images: Maddy Hague
metallic champagne runner: Target