No-Sew Burlap Table Runner

I had a monogrammed burlap table runner that I made a few years ago.  Last year we spilled red wine on it (oops!) and I couldn't get the stain out.  I wanted another burlap runner to complement my fall decorating, but didn't want to take the time to sew one. While watching football a few weeks back I whipped this one out.  I like how it turned out; it's a little rustic but softened up a bit with the satin ribbon.

I've gotten frustrated in the past while working with burlap.  It's a very loose-weave fabric and frays as it's being looked at, I think! It's hard to get a straight cut. The clerk at the fabric store enlightened me to a neat trick as she was cutting the fabric for me. She ripped out one of the threads, then used that as the cutting line. Well, how nifty is that?!!

To make this runner I measured how wide and long I wanted it to be.  I identified the thread that was closest to the point of measurement. I followed that thread to the raw end of the fabric and tugged at the thread.  I then gently pulled the thread, holding on to the fabric, so that the thread slid out of the burlap.  That became my cutting line. 

To make the space for the ribbon I marked where I wanted the ribbon to go and how wide the opening needed to be.  I pulled out enough threads so that the ribbon would fit. 

After that it was a matter of weaving the ribbon in and out of the fabric (I went every 5 threads).  To make it easier to weave, I attached a safety pin to the end of the ribbon. 

This is easily a no-sew project.  As the burlap does fray so easily, I ran a quick zig-zag stitch about one-inch in to limit the amount of fray.

I found the most beautiful tulips at the flower mart!