Scalloped Border Tutorial

Did you get to visit Jane's blog to see my entry for the Love of Embroidery tour? If not you can go here to see my projects. I thought I would share a tutorial with you on how I made the inside scalloped border. This old page out of a magazine was my inspiration.

For this project you definitely need some kind of graph paper. As you can see from the drawing  the sides and the bottom have to be in even increments. I measurement  the size of the project I wanted to frame so that the scallops would fit around it. I counted the spaces on the graph paper and placed dots where the curved edges would meet. I think you can see where the dots are on the high and low places.

Then I cut out the center

and the outside edges.

This is the size I wanted the frame to be around my embroidery project.

Next I marked the fabric in the corner with a little dot using a water eraserable blue pen. It is hard to see but maybe if you enlarge the photo you can see it. This helped me later when I got ready to place the top border fabric in place.

Next I cut out the center.

I have several of these very helpful books when I need some help trying to figure out a technique.

I wanted to make a mitered border for my frame.

First I cut out strips of fabric.

Next using that blue dot on my background fabric I pressed the mitered border.

The book shows using painters tap to make you miters stay in place.

With the tape holding my fabric I can then sew the strips together.

Trimmed and ironed.

Sorry I could get the picture for this next step in focus but I used the paper pattern to trace the scallop design on my border fabric. I used the water erasable pen again.

I pinned it to the background fabric

I hand appliqued the inside edge to the background using matching thread. I used needle turn applique. Once I had it appliqued I trimmed the background 1/4" from the edge even with the blue fabric.  Here is my project all finished. I hand quilted 1/4" from the inside scallop. I decided to sew the layers together without binding. You can see how to do this technique here.  It is a great way to finish small quilts. The embroidery pattern is from my friend Michelle at The Raspberry Rabbits.

If you have any questions just leave them in the comment box and I will try to answer them. Maybe you  can try this technique on a little quilt.

With Passion,
Carrie P.