We recently took a trip to Austin, Texas where we dropped in on our friend, Barbara Goldkorn who was teaching a 3-hour hands-on class. What a fun event!
Students made their own version of the Woven Table Runner featured in Barbara’s new book, Cutting-Edge Serger Techniques. Students made the table runner entirely with their own Baby Lock sergers—this way they’d be comfortable applying the techniques they learned in class on their own at home.
I’ll be the first to admit, I had no idea a serger was packed with so many innovative and creative features! What a great way to spend a day!
As the students discovered, making the table runner was the chance to learn new techniques and apply more familiar techniques in unexpected ways. The end result is not just a table runner—but new skills that can be used on countless other projects. What a great opportunity to expand the use of a serger! And if you don’t own a serger, you may be inspired to purchase one now!
When you think of binding, more than likely you imagine binding the edge of a quilt. But Barbara uses the technique in a more creative manner. Students attached a single fold binder to their Baby Lock sergers. Then they serged the binding fabric to the fabric strips.
The end result – strips of fabric with a beautifully finished edge. These strips will be used for weaving as shown below.
One of the really fun aspects of taking a class is the opportunity to see the different color schemes people select for their projects.
I love these traditional Christmas colors.
On the other end of the spectrum are pretty pastels! What a great way to welcome Spring any time of the year!
Here are some elegant snowflakes.
Festive reds!
Holiday prints with red and gold.
Students also learned how to shrink fabric. Yes, shrink fabric! There wasn’t a magic wand involved but I hear it was a seemingly magical product known as Texture Magic.
Here’s a look at the assembly process. There’s nothing like the feeling of accomplishment!
I don’t know about you, but I’m eager to create a table runner of my own. The hardest part—deciding what colors to use!
If you missed out on this fun class – don’t fret! Barbara’s book, Cutting-Edge Serger Techniques gives easy-to-follow step by step instructions with photos to ensure success.
Judy Klep
December 17, 2014 at 2:50 pm (5 years ago)The man’s tablerunner has no borders.
mgarland
December 17, 2014 at 3:14 pm (5 years ago)The gentleman’s does not have a border
Judy Shirley
December 17, 2014 at 3:27 pm (5 years ago)there is only one gentleman in the group which is so nice to see and he has no borders.
Is there anywhere in Alberta Canada where you may purchase this book? To purchase it from the USA and the cost of shipping and everything else the book is almost gold plated. I really wish there was away to get stuff to Canada cheaper.
Cindy
December 17, 2014 at 3:27 pm (5 years ago)The man did not get his border on his table runner.
Belinda Germain
December 17, 2014 at 3:36 pm (5 years ago)At first glance I only noticed that there was only one man in the group, then I noticed all the others have a border, but his does not, unless he has it folded under.
Sandi Babcock
December 17, 2014 at 3:50 pm (5 years ago)The lady in the center has no shoes on.
Joyce Fike
December 17, 2014 at 4:30 pm (5 years ago)The lady is bare foot
Pam George
December 17, 2014 at 4:35 pm (5 years ago)the gentleman did not put boarders on his table runner and there is a bare foot lady in the group
Nancy Drake
December 17, 2014 at 5:16 pm (5 years ago)1 gentleman
1 table runner with no border
1 lady with no shoes
1 lady is not quite smiling
Susan kutybs
December 17, 2014 at 5:35 pm (5 years ago)there’s a great big man among several small women and one free-thinking lady with bare feet.
Lynn
December 17, 2014 at 6:24 pm (5 years ago)There is a gentleman amongst the ladies.
Charlotte Silber
December 17, 2014 at 7:12 pm (5 years ago)The one that is on left Gold and Brown she placed her textured fabric at the end and center.
Frances Powell
December 17, 2014 at 7:20 pm (5 years ago)The gentleman’s does not have a border.
Kathy
December 17, 2014 at 7:42 pm (5 years ago)on the red one, she did not use two different fabrics to weave.
but weaved the same strips both ways
Valerie Gwara
December 17, 2014 at 8:25 pm (5 years ago)one gentleman
the center lady has no shoes
the gentleman’s runner has no border at all (a couple of the runners are obviously not finished and have only 1 border)
Cindy Carson
December 17, 2014 at 10:02 pm (5 years ago)One lady has no shoes – great unless she finds a pin underfoot! The gent has no border. That would be me… not quite finished.
Judy
December 17, 2014 at 10:04 pm (5 years ago)Only one man in the group and he did not put borders on his table runner! Going to see if I can find the book, look interesting. I don’t use my server enough, I an always looking for more things to make on it! Thanks
Shirley Clark
December 17, 2014 at 10:09 pm (5 years ago)One lady is barefooted! LOL
Hilary McDaniel
December 17, 2014 at 10:09 pm (5 years ago)The lady holding the red runner is bare footed. Her runner is a different pattern.
Ginny wright
December 17, 2014 at 10:14 pm (5 years ago)The 2 ladies Ion the left only have borders on one side.
Cheryl
December 17, 2014 at 10:16 pm (5 years ago)One man among the group of ladies, one lady is barefoot, one runner with no borders
Casie Williams
December 17, 2014 at 10:29 pm (5 years ago)The gentleman’s project is borderless. Of course, he might just be a little behind in the process. 😀
Barbara McKenzie
December 17, 2014 at 10:34 pm (5 years ago)Hmmm – there’s only one beard, there’s only one gray haired lady, there’s only one blond, there’s only one pair of flip-flops….I could go on and on! The table runners are beautiful!
Donna G.
December 17, 2014 at 10:38 pm (5 years ago)One man, one runner with no borders, one woman with no shoes. But all with beautiful projects!
joyce
December 17, 2014 at 10:44 pm (5 years ago)The lady in the center is barefoot and the man’s runner does not have a border.,
Kathie W
December 17, 2014 at 10:45 pm (5 years ago)There is no border on the gentleman’s quilt project
M Sanders
December 17, 2014 at 10:59 pm (5 years ago)Agree with one man, one barefoot, one with no borders . . how about one over 6′ tall.
Linda Gillian
December 17, 2014 at 11:04 pm (5 years ago)There is a man in the group of women. . . and HE is sewing and doing his project! Love it!
lB Lepech
December 17, 2014 at 11:13 pm (5 years ago)There is a handsome gentleman amongst the ladies!!
the nut on the hill
December 17, 2014 at 11:26 pm (5 years ago)the man has his runner over his shoulder and the lady,s are
holder them with their hands.
Susan
December 17, 2014 at 11:32 pm (5 years ago)Differences:
1 man
Man’s runner does not have a border and accent trim
Center lady is barefoot
Sheryl Colle
December 17, 2014 at 11:47 pm (5 years ago)The 2nd lady from the left has squares and rectangles in her project.
Delores Angus
December 18, 2014 at 12:09 am (5 years ago)One gentleman sewist with a borderless runner.
One shoeless lady sewist.
Seven successful class participants! Fun!!
Teresa Niwinska
December 18, 2014 at 12:16 am (5 years ago)barefoot, border (not done yet), beard (only one!)
Ronda Lynn Halvorsen-Ferns
December 18, 2014 at 12:17 am (5 years ago)One borderless handsome man amongst five beautiful maidens and one barefoot one…. Looks like an awesome class, loved Barb when she is on SWN!
Ronda from Bend
Denyse Rose
December 18, 2014 at 1:31 am (5 years ago)The gentleman doesn’t have a border on his piece. The lady in the middle doesn’t have shoes on. That’s the way I like to sew! Only one of the students has a beard – the man, of course! Everyone has a smile so it must have been a fun class!
Karen Poole
December 18, 2014 at 1:35 am (5 years ago)There’s one man among all the women in the picture!
Jackie Richardson
December 18, 2014 at 4:16 am (5 years ago)The woman with the red table runner is barefoot !!
Linda Horton
December 18, 2014 at 8:37 am (5 years ago)The lady with no shoes–love her free spirit.
The man has no border.
Love your blog!
Barbara Frangella
December 18, 2014 at 8:51 am (5 years ago)There is only one gentleman in the group, and the lady in the center is not wearing shoes!!!
Royce Zook
December 18, 2014 at 9:45 am (5 years ago)Six women, 1 man. Six bordered runners, 1 border-less runner. Wouldn’t consider shoeless person as different from the others as there is also one who’s feet can not be seen, so 5, 1 & 1 does not fit the requirements.
Barbra Goldcorn did not write just a good Serger book, she also is a great Instructor and, with her husband Ron, owns a great Sewing Notion and Machine Store, Sew Much More in Austin, TX.
Nancy Weber
December 18, 2014 at 10:13 am (5 years ago)There is only one gentleman in the group and one of the projects is unfinished. Hugs.
edith goss
December 18, 2014 at 10:26 am (5 years ago)The different interpretation of one table runner
The length to which creativity can lead you,
Jean Russum
December 18, 2014 at 10:40 am (5 years ago)Only one man in the group.
Bonnie Gray
December 18, 2014 at 10:58 am (5 years ago)One man in the group and no borders on his runner.
Lori Albrecht
December 18, 2014 at 11:46 am (5 years ago)one man
no shoes
two no borders not finished
one border one size the other side is not the same size to me but cant’ really tell for sure
man hangs over shoulder
two ladies hanging over they arms
one ladies doesn’t look woven
three name tags others not showing
one stops at the ruffled block
some showing the backs
Pat Bailey
December 18, 2014 at 11:51 am (5 years ago)One lady without shoes. Going for comfort.
judit z
December 18, 2014 at 12:55 pm (5 years ago)One gentleman, one no border, one barefeet
Suzanne Doggett
December 18, 2014 at 2:02 pm (5 years ago)I see a proud gentleman with his unfinished project over his shoulder, but what stands out to me is my kind of sewing person right there in the middle of the pic. She has her shoes kicked off and can feel the pressure she has on the sewing foot
Judy Witzel
December 18, 2014 at 5:19 pm (5 years ago)The woman in the blue sweater has square and rectangular blocks in
her runner.
The others are all square.
Cheryl Disotell
December 18, 2014 at 5:45 pm (5 years ago)One gentleman…and his table runner has no border.
One lady barefoot.
And one lady has a small border and holding green fabric in hand that
And the lady on the side of her seems to have one border longer than table runner.
P.S. I do like the table runner tho. 🙂
Jeanne
December 18, 2014 at 6:24 pm (5 years ago)One of the gals is barefoot and there is a man in the group.
Gail Beam
December 18, 2014 at 8:20 pm (5 years ago)Only one man in the group who has no border on his table runner and one of the ladies is not wearing any shoes. The lady with the green table runner left the wide borders off her table runner making hers more narrow.
Judy Abbott
December 18, 2014 at 8:53 pm (5 years ago)One man..one barefoot person
Carol K.
December 19, 2014 at 1:17 am (5 years ago)Only one man in the group. One of the ladies is barefoot
shirley simmons
December 19, 2014 at 10:44 am (5 years ago)one man in the group
the man table runner has no border
the lady don’t have shoes on
JudiC
December 19, 2014 at 10:44 am (5 years ago)One borderless man in the group.
Nancy Moulson
December 19, 2014 at 12:08 pm (5 years ago)There’s one gentleman, One lady with no shoes…….. One runner with no border Nancy
Pat Scull
December 19, 2014 at 1:50 pm (5 years ago)The mans runner does not have a border.
I love the looks of this runner.
Kim M. Harrington
December 19, 2014 at 4:35 pm (5 years ago)There is a barefoot sewer in the picture.
Kris Jacobson
December 19, 2014 at 5:55 pm (5 years ago)The gentlemens table runner looks like it is going to be really long
Kris Jacobson
December 19, 2014 at 5:57 pm (5 years ago)also it looks like two used contrasting fabric for the woven part and the others used the same fabric
Lynn
December 20, 2014 at 6:13 am (5 years ago)One table runner hasn’t any borders.
Debby Parke
December 20, 2014 at 8:59 am (5 years ago)The lady with red table runner has bare feet! All of the projects are very beautiful too!
Carolyn
December 20, 2014 at 12:14 pm (5 years ago)One barefoot twinkle toes!!! One man in the group, and his runner is borderless.
Paule-Marie
December 20, 2014 at 8:52 pm (5 years ago)one man, one barefoot lady, one runner with no border, one runner woven with the same fabric in the woof and weft, no make that 3, and several that have only partial borders.
Sandy P
December 22, 2014 at 1:22 am (5 years ago)bare foot lady
Doreen
December 23, 2014 at 10:36 am (5 years ago)I noticed a few differences in the picture.
1. 1 male
2. No border on male’s runner
3. One woman no shoes. Her red runner also looks shorter.
beth daniels
December 23, 2014 at 12:27 pm (5 years ago)The man’s tablerunner does not have a border. A lady is barefoot.
Beverly Passwaters
December 23, 2014 at 5:28 pm (5 years ago)The Lady with the red table runner doesn’t have any shoes on.
I think our serger club at Rich’s Sew and Vac are doing this technique in one of our up coming clubs in the new year. I just got the book and am excited to try the different projects in it.
Merry Christmas
Bev Passwaters
Albany OR
Nancy Athearn
December 23, 2014 at 6:28 pm (5 years ago)The first thing I noticed is that the lady in the center is not wearing shoes. My kind of seamstress – a kindred spirit!
Carolyn Harris
December 27, 2014 at 6:31 am (5 years ago)There is one man among a group of women.
Robyn Bacchi
January 9, 2015 at 2:12 am (5 years ago)Is this book available in Ausralia? Or as an ebook?