How to make a bed runner

Bed runners or pillow toppers are similar in shape to a table runner. They are placed across the foot of the bed as added decoration for your bedcovering or over the tops of your pillows in place of pillow shams. Make a bed runner or pillow topper to create the finishing touch to a room's decor. If decorating your room or a guest room for the holidays, use seasonal or holiday print fabrics. They can be made to fit any size mattress, and a basic runner can be sewn in less than an hour.

Measure the width of your mattress and down the sides to the desired length. This is the length of your runner. If you will be using the runner as a pillow topper, you will want to measure over the top of your pillows and down the sides of the bed. Iron the runner's top fabric to remove any wrinkles or creases. Cut a long rectangle 60 cm (24 inches) wide by the length measurement from the bed.

Iron your backing fabric. Lay out your backing fabric on a large flat surface with the wrong side up. Place quilt batting over the backing fabric. Centre the runner top on the batting with the right side up. Pin the layers together.

Cut the batting using the runner top as a pattern. Cut the backing 2.5 cm (1 inch) larger than the runner on all sides.

Fold the backing to the edge of the runner top and press. Fold the remaining 1.3 cm (1/2 inch) edge of the backing over the front edge of the runner, creating a binding. Mitre fold the corners and pin the binding. Zigzag stitch the pinned binding to the runner.