Burlap Table Runner

Dear Emily,

Burlap is all over the place in home decorating lately, have you noticed? I decided to make a burlap table runner. 

I used the cream burlap rather than the natural and a narrow ivory cotton lace. When I was shopping for the lace in Hobby Lobby, I found this:

Hobby Lobby

I knew immediately how I wanted to use it in the runner.

I cut two 6" x 52" pieces from the burlap. 

Usually I use a rotary cutter but because the burlap has such an open weave, I wanted to be sure my cut lines where perfectly straight along the grain. 

I stitched them together length-wise with the flowered ribbon between creating a lace insert.

 I sewed the ribbon and burlap right sides together (yeah, I do realize the burlap has no "right" side, but the ribbon did and I didn't want the raw edges showing). I used a straight stitch, carefully pressed the seams towards the ribbon. I tried to press the seams towards the burlap but that made the seam too bulky. 

I stitched over the raw edge with a zig-zag stitch. The burlap unravels easily so I wanted to be certain it was stitched securely. 

I used an ivory thread in my sewing machine so the stitching can't be seen, even on the front. Before sewing the cotton lace on the edge, I curved the corners of the runner using a dinner plate as a pattern for the curve. 

To stitch the lace trim on the edge, I sewed it on top of the right side edge with a straight stitch and went around again with a zig-zag to make sure burlap would not unravel.

I love how it turned out but have not a single place to use it in my house! It would look best on a dark table and mine is not. I took it to a friend's house to take these pictures. She has a fantastic kitchen table. Extra long with chairs and a bench. I am bringing it to our parents' for Thanksgiving. The runner, not my friend's table. Any ideas on how to decorate the table for Thanksgiving dinner? I was thinking of making these for place cards.

xoxo

Monica