Zig Zag Table Runner Tutorial: Jenny Doan's Easy Charm Pack Project

🧵 1 charm pack (5" squares) — a full pack makes a generous runner; use half for a shorter version. Shop precut fabrics.

🧶 Batting scrap — same size as your finished runner layout. Shop batting.

🤍 Backing fabric scrap — same size as your runner layout. Shop fabric.

📌 Straight pins — lots of them! You'll pin through all three layers. Shop pins & clips.

✂️ Rotary cutter & cutting mat — for trimming. Shop rotary cutters.

🪡 Sewing machine with a ¼" presser foot

Step 1: Sort Your Charm Squares by Color

Open your charm pack and separate the squares by color family — lights in one pile, darks in another, mediums in a third. You'll want to alternate between light and dark as you build your rows to create visual rhythm in the zig-zag pattern.

Step 2: Lay Out the Zig-Zag Pattern

This is where the runner takes shape. Arrange your charm squares in staggered rows on a flat surface:

Each row is offset by half a square from the row above it, creating the stair-step zig-zag edges. Think of it like laying bricks — each row shifts over by half.

The staggered layout creates the zig-zag shape — no cutting required!

Step 3: Sew the Squares Together

Starting from one end, sew the charm squares together row by row. Place squares right sides together and sew with a ¼-inch seam. As you add each new row, match the center points — line up where the junctions of the previous row meet the edges of the new row.

When sewing off the pointed edges, just let your stitches run right off the edge of the fabric. Don't worry about backstacking at the outer points — those will be enclosed when you turn the runner right-side out.

Step 4: Layer the Runner Sandwich

Now you'll create your "quilt sandwich" — but in reverse order from a regular quilt! Here's the layering:

The two fabric layers should be right sides together, with the batting on the outside. Smooth everything flat — no wrinkles or bumps!

Pin through all three layers, especially at every point and corner

Step 5: Pin and Trim

Pin through all three layers generously — put a pin in every corner and every point of the zig-zag. You want those layers to stay put while you sew around all those ins and outs.

Trim the batting and backing to about ½ inch larger than the zig-zag top on all sides. This gives you a little insurance — you'll trim the excess after sewing.

Step 6: Sew Around the Zig-Zag Edge

Sew a ¼-inch seam all the way around the runner, following the zig-zag edges of your charm pack top. Use the edge of the charm squares as your guide — your presser foot follows right along those pointed edges.

Important: Leave about a 6-inch opening along one of the short ends (at the row of 2). This is where you'll turn the runner right-side out.

At each point and valley, stop with the needle down, lift the presser foot, pivot, lower the foot, and continue sewing. Take your time around the corners — accuracy here makes for crisp points when you turn it.

Step 7: Turn, Press & Finish

Clip the seam allowance at the inner valleys (clip toward the stitching but don't cut through it!) and trim the points. Then reach through the opening and turn the runner right-side out.

Use a point turner or chopstick to gently push out all those zig-zag points. Press the entire runner flat, turning under the edges of the opening. Topstitch ¼ inch from the edge all the way around to close the opening and give the runner a finished look.

For extra detail, you can quilt through all three layers with straight lines, stitch-in-the-ditch along seam lines, or simple stippling.

Turn right-side out through the opening for a beautifully finished runner

💡 Pro Tips

Make it seasonal: Use holiday-themed charm packs for instant seasonal decor — Christmas, Halloween, Fourth of July, or fall harvest prints.

Customize the length: Just add or subtract rows of 5 in the middle section. Each row adds about 4½ inches of length.

Gift-worthy: This project is perfect for gifts because it comes together in an afternoon and uses minimal fabric. Pair it with a coordinating set of cloth napkins!

Skip the binding: Because you turn this runner right-side out, there's no binding step at all — the edges are already finished!