Most likely, the largest piece of furniture in your kitchen or dining room is the table. If your table is like the table in most people’s homes, a lot happens on it–meals, laundry folding, mail sorting, bill paying, homework projects, science experiments, family game night, sewing projects, rocket building, scrapbooking, backpack clean-out and organizing. Your table withstands a lot of use and abuse. How can you protect it? If you quilt, making table runners or table toppers are beautiful ways that you can provide cushions for much of the hard work your family does on your table.

If you have a round or oval table, you might prefer to look at table topper patterns and table topper quilt kits. If you have a rectangular table, you probably want to peruse table runner patterns and table runner kits. Placemats are a good choice no matter the size or shape of your table, so you might enjoy browsing through the quilted placemat patterns.

Missouri Star offers a lovely selection of quilted table runner patterns and kits appropriate for every season of the year and holiday. Some have a motif in the pattern, for example the Candy Corn Runner by Missouri Star. Others, like the Lots O’ Luck Runner, would be beautiful in any colorway although it was originally designed in green for St. Patrick’s Day.

You will also find modern quilted table runner patterns such as the Mini Rhombus Table Runner at Missouri Star. The Mini Rhombus Runner has an especially modern vibe when it is completed as recommended in Grunge Metallic by Basic Grey for Moda. You can watch Jenny demonstrate the Mini Rhombus Runner in this video tutorial.

Table topper patterns and table runner patterns are great projects for novice quilters to learn new skills without becoming overwhelmed. They are also a nice way for experienced quilters to test a new technique or quilt block before implementing it on a bed quilt. And the reward–a small quilt that will protect the investment you’ve made in the table that is the heart of your family’s home.