
Quick Column Quilts Heartbeat Table Runner
No matter the size—table runner to king—you can sew a quick column quilt in a heartbeat! Colorful accent strips in a variety of widths make up the heartbeat pattern, while the subdued one-color strips add a perfect background for the design. In Nancy’s book Quick Column Quilts you’ll find this design sewn in various sizes up to a queen-size quilt. In this post, we’ve scaled down the design to a table runner size, 24″ x 57″. See all the different ways to adapt this method by watching Quick Column Quilts Part One on Sewing With Nancy.
Create Strip Sets
Prepare assorted scrap fabrics (or fat quarters) and white yardage, by stabilizing all fabrics with spray starch or starch alternative, and then cut:
- Cut twenty-four to twenty-eight crosswise strips 2″–4″ wide x 12-1/2″ long.
- Cut the same number and same widths of background strips. (We chose white.)
- Pair printed fabrics with background fabrics.
- Use 1/4″ seam allowances to join the short ends, right sides together.
- Stitch strips continuously to save time.
- Clip the thread between each strip set.

- Press all seam allowances flat to set the stitches. Then, press seams open.
Determine Heartbeat Layout
- Fold each tube in half, varying the amount of printed fabric that is visible.
- Cut the folds of each tube.

- Sort the cut tubes, leaving the top strip for the top of the heartbeat and the bottom strip for the bottom.
Complete the Table Runner
- Stagger the strips for the top and bottom, separately, in an interesting arrangement.

- Use a 1/4″ seam to stitch pairs of strips for the top half of the heartbeat. Press seams open. Stitch all pairs to create the top.

- Use 1/4″ seams to stitch the pairs of strips for the bottom half of the heartbeat. Press seams open. Stitch all pairs to create the bottom.

- Use a 1/4″ seam allowance to join the heartbeat top and bottom halves, right sides together.


- Use a stiletto to help guide the seam allowances under the presser foot.

- Press the seam open.
Quilting with Decorative Stitches
- Prepare the quilt for traditional machine quilting. Create a quilt sandwich, layering the quilt top, batting, and backing. Hand baste or pin baste the layers together.
- Use color-coordinating thread in the needle and bobbin.
- Choose a decorative machine stitch. We chose 7-049, a stacked circle design, on our Baby Lock.

- Begin in the middle of the table runner and work outward. Stitch a single repeat of the decorative motif.

- Add decorative stitches at the recommended intervals listed on the batting packaging.
We generally add a decorative stitch every 3″–4″ in random intervals.
- Discover easy steps for sewing scrappy binding for your table runner. View the How To Sew Scrappy Quilt Binding blog posting.
Watch Quick Column Quilts on Sewing With Nancy online.
To watch Sewing With Nancy on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone, download the app.
Show us What You’re Making! We love to hear from you, so whether you’ve tried one of Nancy’s Sewing Patterns, or you’re planning on stitching a project you’ve seen on Sewing With Nancy or on The Nancy Zieman Productions Blog, share your experiences and photos with us on Facebook or Instagram!
Happy Stitching!
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
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KathyinMN
I won? Oh wow-that’s so AWESOME.
I was just looking at this post thinking-wow Nancy Z, you sure do have an eye for color. You put these scrappy runners together and they are just stunning.
Thanks for all the giveaways you do. FUN-I cannot wait to try it out!
Carol P
My favorite colors together are yellow and blue.
Virginia Frazier
Love the idea of quilting with our decorative stitches. We never remember that we have so many on our machine and probably would never use all of them in a lifetime. Thank you Nancy for reminding us what we can do with them. Love quilting with Greens and burgandy colors. And always look for fabrics with a little metallic in them.
Kathy
I love color! Teal or aquamarine with lime and fuscihia or orange. kathleendotlutzatcomcastdotnet
Ilana
I love to use bright colors and a black background.
Sandra Hall
I have made more quilts with purples and pinks. My daughter, granddaughter and I all love the color purple!!!! For our mother/daughter banquet we wore purple jackets that I had embroidered on the back “Purple Ladies”
KayZee
I love the idea of using a single embroidered motif to “tie” the quilt! My favorite quilt colors are sage green and pastel peach.
Pat
I tend to prefer earth tone colors for my quilts; oranges, browns and tans being my favorites. Thanks for the colorful examples in today’s post.
Judith Cushing
I love green. Earth tones…… I can’t help myself when I am in a fabric store to buy more green. But then I also have many shades of red in my stash…. along with blue, purple, yellow, and orange.. My name is Judy, I am a fabriholic!
Nellene Beaton
I love the old-fashioned colors of Civil War-era quilts.
Caroline S
There just isn’t enough time in my life to sew as much as I want to,,, so many creative ideas I just can’t keep up! 🙂
Karen McDanel
I really like all bright colors on a black background.
Diana G
I love earthy colors, so natural and calming when one is under the quilt and reading a book. But once in a while I go with purples (shades of) red,pinks, with a splash of white/cream depending on what I am making. Black is a good standby as well for me.
Thanks for the chance to win
Norine Mohs
I really like black and white quilts right now, but I find my favorite color changes when I see another quilt I like.
Brenda
Great ideas.
Merle
My next project will be a table runner in ocean colors to go on the table in our new condo in the Florida Keys!
Barb
Love this quilt. I like to use brights but I need to do something low volume…love that look as well.
Joanne P.
I tend to use bright colors with a white background. I also like black and white prints with the white background. Love the fabric style called Asian/oriental too. The white background makes the colors stand out. Would love to win the book. I got it from the library, but they wouldn’t let me keep it!
craftygramma
Hot pink, turquoise, bright yellow, black or navy, periwinkle!
But, I already have the book, couldn’t wait!!
I could use some of your Carefree Curves templates, though…
just sayin’.
Thanks
Leslie Marling
Thanks Nancy for sharing. I do many of my projects for others, so I’m usually using their favorite colors, but that’s OK because I can have trouble choosing because of all the beautiful options.
Mary L.
My fav color is blue, but lately I’ve been using a lot of black ‘n white with white ‘n black prints with a pop of something bright.
Lydia W
I am going to have to make 4 of these adorable and quick table runners, one for each of the seasons but first I will make one in my favorite shades of lavender and white. I cannot wait to get started.
Cheri Hage
I have recently found I enjoy a splash of bright or deep shade of purple incorporated into projects. It is a great accent and fun color, no matter what the shade 🙂
Kim Harrington
Great beginners quilt! Excellent stash buster too. Love the fact that you do not need to match any seams!
Connie S.
hi Nancy, love the print fabric blue and gold. I think blue, red and white for July 4th. would be pretty. Put on my to do list.
Sharon Harmon
I love brights against either black or white or even a gray tone.
I also love black and red together.
Starla
I really love the gray and yellow combination
Lori Morton
I love using bright colors & fun prints in quilts…but do use alot of greens & blues (My 2 fave colors for sure! lol)
Lorna Kirby
I would probably use yellow, blue and white to match my kitchen.
Dawn
No matter how I start out, I usually end up with red in the quilt. It may be just a small accent but it is almost always there.
Patricia
I tend to lean toward Red. I made a red/white quilt which I love. Now I’m designing a scrappy quilt and using all colors.
Paula Howard
My favorite color is blue. So calming for me. I would love to win the book for new inspirations. Thank you for the opportunity.
Elaine Williams
I am currently collecting remnants and fat quarters in reds, pinks and 1950’s aqua.
Delaine
I love to use blue and cream in quilts. Thanks!
Allen
No matter which colors I choose to make a quilts, there is always quite a bit of black in them to “ground” them and make the colors pop .
Elaine W
Red, white, and blue…..always a winner!
Susanna
all colors scrappies
Gail Beam
I like the bright colors like lime green, orange, hot pink, purple, bright yellow, and turquoise. To me, they are the fun colors.
Barbara R.
My favorite colors are cool colors—purple, blue and green. I love the idea of not having to match intersections!
GG Bocchino
My favorite color I like to use in quilts is the various shades of Aqua/Turquoise. Lights, Darks & Mediums and in many hues and complimentary colors.
Fabulous Table Runner & Great Color composition!
I love the no matching seams idea- a stress reliever
Faye Johnson-Lynch
My favorite colors are various shades of teal and purple. I find the two together are awesome!
pat sendelbach
Blue, teal, pink and purple!
Cecilia Huether
I just love almost every color, but love the turquoise, purple, lime, orange, some blues. Like this pattern, not having to match seams, great. And yes I do need to use my decorative stitches more often
Cecilia Huether
I love almost every color, but especially the aquas, turquoise, purples, limes, some oranges and blues. Also greens, love this pattern, no matching of seams, wow. Also using the decorative stitches for some of the quilting, I never use those stitches enough,
Leigh L
Like many other commenters, I lean towards teals and turquoises. I love throwing in red, coral, yellow or oranges in with it for even more color pop.
ROBIN, HUNTSVILLE TX
Love the table runner!
Karen
Bright and colorful fabrics for my grandchildren.
Kathy Renz
My favorite color to use in quilts, my favorite color – period – is blue. It is soothing and beautiful, blends well with other colors, and comes in so many gorgeous variations. Thanks, Nancy, for another fun pattern!
HagridsMom
My all time favorite color would be Periwinkle by Kona or Hyacinth. I love the blue purples and if they were polka dotted – even better!
Amy Brant
No particular fave colors for quilts. Depends on the ultimate use/recipient. Last year I did a king-size in browns, blues & greys for a gentleman. This year I’m leaning to violets, turquoises & whites.
Tina
Currently I like maroon and blue
stephanie burroughs
My favorite color in quilts are bright pinks and teals.
Berenice
Jewel tones on black. Or since I have 3 girls, pinks and purples!!
Deanna
I love blues, pinks, yellows, purples.
Kathy Parks
Can’t wait to try this in Peach, Aqua & Cream to match my dishes. Have to do one for Christmas too…
Jennifer Fried
Pink florals, blue florals, lavender floral, and light lime green solid. Jenny
mary
Ocean shades, blues, greens;)
Bonnie
Purple and green are my favorite colors to use in a quilt.
kathy
I have fallen in love with lime green with black and white. Funny how our color choices change over the years.
Gloria
I just love reds! Blues and yellow often add that punch of color contrast for me. I really like the ideas in Column Quilts. Thanks!
Jan Larson
I am from Mi . So green and white for Mi State Univ . They are favorite colors. But I alway but a little gold in my quilts, mug rugs, table runners. I also DVR your program every week so I don’t miss any programs.
Deb T
I have red, green and black (watermelon colors) that I have been thinking of using on this column quilt, since I saw the show. They are so fresh and bright!
Candice
I love the varying shades of pinks/blues/greens with a pop of a deep, bright purple or teal (depending on the main colors used), or a saturated, intense color of one of the quilt colors.
Chris Reeske
My favorite colors currently are black and white, with a pop of lime green.
Kay Bennett
First I want to make one in red, white and blue to celebrate this great place we call home!
Kris
Very cute table runner! Thanks!
Sharon
My favorite color combination – for flowers in my garden, for decorating, for clothing – is lavender, pink and white. But I’m a color gal, so there really isn’t a color I don’t love and use!
Gail Davenport
Right now I’m into turquoise and lime green, which I’ve done in a modern quilt and will soon do in a more traditional pattern.
Meichele Juve
I would use purple, yellow, white and green . Of course it would be variations of these colors, when using them together they are very refreshing.
Eunice
the colors you used reminds me of the pretty spring flower colors like the tulips and daffodils. i like using light colors in my sewing and quilting projects.
Meichele Juve
Exactly, refreshing and calming….
Marianne Wilson
This looks like a perfect pattern for a lap quilt for my 26 and 30 year old grandsons. I would love the book.
Dawn Walton
the quick column quilts look like great fund. I have many many scraps which would be fun to use. Would love to make one. Will add it to my list. Thanks
Dawn
Annie
I would love to make this with bright colors and white background.
HMOE
It is yellow, pink an orange…with a splash of bright blue…for me!
Barbara Palmatier
Love those column quilt ideas. Table runner..never would have thought of that! I like a rainbow of bright colors.
silvana from Brazil
I loved it. Becomes really easy!
Rose Edwards
I love the rich colors of batiks, think this would be stunning in teals, purples and blues.
Diane S.
I really want to try this. I have your original “columns” book in my SWN collection!
Sharon Davis
Really like the original column quilt book. Am sure I would enjoy this one also. Thanks so much for your inspiration!!
Dawn
i am really liking the grey’s and yellows. Looks real modern. Also like the scrappy look.
Quilting Jeannie
I love the yellow gray and white, but I also love red white and blue combinations.