thrifted goodies – using vintage linen pieces to make a table runner

Welcome to the next installment of thrifted goodies. Today I am sharing a collection of vintage linens, and how I used small table toppers, doilies and the like to form a vintage linen table runner down the center of a special table scape for Valentine’s day.

Rachel is also sharing the next Thrifted Goodies Vol. 7 @ The Antique Journey so make sure to visit her blog. If you do not know Rachel yet, please pop over to her place and introduce yourself. Rachel always has great thrift shopping inspiration and you don’t want to miss her post.

Rachel and I will be sharing a regular post focused on thrift store shopping to inspire our readers every month. We will share thrifted goodies and fun details about the hunt, how to use thrift goods and the benefits of thrifting in general. Make sure you don’t miss out on the fun if you enjoy the thrill of the hunt.

collecting vintage linens

Through the years I have amassed a collection of vintage linens. I am always drawn to delicate, lacy, embroidered pieces. I only bring home the ones in neutral colors. There’s some beautiful and colorful embroideries out there too, but I prefer the whites and creams and soft colors.

At first I just picked oversized doilies to use in the center of my kitchen table or in a vignette. Then I started to pick up smaller pieces, which truth be told I do not use often.

So I thought it would be fun to create a table runner using different pieces. I used a similar process to create this runner from sheet music pages {Valentines Day tablescape}.

I would love to create a runner by sewing all my pieces together , but I’m not ready to fully commit just yet. This way I was able to accomplish the look but all my pieces remain individual for other uses.

how to create a vintage linen runner

I simply laid all the different linens down the middle of the table in different directions, overlapping slightly.

I started at both ends of the table with the largest pieces. This way they could hang over the edge of the table, but still remain grounded on the table and not fall off.

Then I started overlapping pieces going down both sides of the table until they met in the middle. As I did this I used different angles in placement and selected different sized and color pieces to keep it interesting.

I played with the composition for a bit until I like how everything laid together. Don’t be scared to moved stuff around if you don’t like how it looks.

thrifted vintage linen table runner for a Valentine’s day table styling

The delicate vintage thrifted linens are the perfect backdrop for a dreamy Valentine’s tablescape. I love all the delicate details.

Come back tomorrow to see all the details for this Valentine’s day tablescape {a guide to setting a red & neutral Valentine’s day table}. This vintage linen table runner was the perfect muse to inspire the table design.

I love how all the different styles, colors and shapes come together to form one unified design.

more thrifting inspiration

Now do not forget to visit Rachel @ The Antiqued Journey, if you haven’t already. You don’t want to miss out on her thrift goodies – volume 7 post.

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”

Walt Disney

---

sharing @ between naps on the porch