During the holidays we seem to host a wider range of guests than any other time of the year. Whether it is dinner parties with co-workers, family get-togethers with kids everywhere, or a cozy coffee brunch with a neighbor, I find I don’t always have the time to fully redecorate for all of these different occasions. Today’s project was designed with this problem in mind. This reversible winter-themed table runner can go from classic to cute with a quick flip and Silhouette Heat Transfer material makes this and the matching napkins a cinch to create.
I love using heat transfer material in my projects because you are able to cut really intricate designs that are held in place perfectly on the carrier sheet while you transfer them to your project…but my favorite part is that I end up with a washable item that I don’t have to stitch! This unique quality makes it a perfect medium for reversible clothing or home décor items. Also great is the ability to layer the material, so you can take a design from the online store and assemble it on your fabric just like you would on cardstock when you’re paper-piecing. If you’re new to this kind of material, all of the colors and types needed for this project are supplied in the Heat Transfer Starter Kit.
To start, I cut several different sizes of snowflakes and the penguin’s belly and eyes from white flocked heat transfer material. While weeding this sheet of material, I saved the asterisk shapes from the center of some of the snowflakes to use as snow on some of my matching napkins. Then I continued cutting and weeding the rest of my penguin pieces – the body was cut from smooth black material, the scarf was cut from smooth teal material, and the beak and feet were cut from yellow flocked material. Layering the smooth and flocked materials can add a lot of texture and dimension to your design and the starter kit allows you to play with both types.
For the “classic” side of the table runner, all you need to do is lay out your snowflakes in whatever pattern you like and iron the material for about a minute using a scrap of fabric as a pressing cloth. Be sure to apply a generous amount of pressure while ironing as this is essential for the material to permanently adhere to your fabric.
For the “cute” side of the table runner, flip your runner over and begin pressing your penguin pieces step-by-step in the order shown in the photo. Some of the pieces in this design will overlap, and don’t worry – they will adhere just fine over top of the other layers of heat transfer material. Once your penguin is complete, add snowflakes as desired. To make the matching napkins for each side of the runner, you will just need to complete the same steps as above using a smaller version of each design.
Why stop at a table runner and napkins? You can make matching placemats, handtowels, and tablecloths too!
Designs Used:
Went & checked it out!
How cute is that!
Thanks so much for checking it out Gail!