Free Sample
The Complete Handbook of Table Runners
A practical field guide for interior designers, event planners, hospitality buyers, and textile enthusiasts who need to specify, purchase, install, and maintain table runners with confidence.
by Alumigogo Books
Chapter 1: Understanding Table Runners
What a Table Runner Is, in Construction Terms
A table runner is a long, narrow textile intended to be laid along the center axis of a table surface. The most common finished width is between 14 and 16 inches (36 to 41 centimeters), while lengths are sized to coordinate with standard table dimensions, typically ranging from 36 inches for small accent tables to 144 inches for a full-length placement on a 72-inch rectangular conference table. The runner is not a full-coverage cloth; it leaves the table surface visible on either side, which is exactly what distinguishes it from a tablecloth in both function and aesthetics.
In construction, a runner is simply a rectangular cut of fabric with finished edges on all four sides. The two long edges are generally hemmed with a double-fold fold over construction, each fold being a quarter-inch wide, creating a clean, straight perimeter that resists fraying. The two short ends receive the same treatment. This seems simple, but the quality of that hem matters enormously in practice. A runner with a single-fold seam that is half an inch deep will pucker after laundering, especially in cotton, because the shrinkage of the folded fabric differs from the body of the runner. A double-fold seam, or a narrow, straight-stitched hem with a rolled edge, lays flat and holds its geometry through repeated washing.
Fiber content is the single most important specification. Runners are made from natural fibers (cotton, linen, wool, silk), synthetic fibers