Scalloped Quilt Border Tutorial

 Ever since sharing my Winsome quilt last week I've received a lot of questions about how I did the scalloped border. I admit that up until this month I was completely intimidated by the idea of scallops, and also a little afraid I'd mess up my quilt. 

So today I wanted to share a tutorial showing how I created the scalloped border.  Are you ready to try it? 

First of all, here's what we're talking about. See the curved edges on the quilt below?  That's a scalloped border.  

Around the web you can find a variety of different tutorials and tricks to make scallops. Each technique seems to have a different "look" to them.  Some have deeper curves, some are more of a "wave" look -- personally I prefer the size and shape of these scallops. 

Plus the tool I used here* makes scallops SO easy and you can use this template for any size quilt.  I'm not one to buy a bunch of unnecessary rulers, but this is definitely one that I'm happy to have in my toolbox.  I've used it twice in the last month and I know I'll be using it again.

**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) when purchases are made through links found in this post. Thank you!

Ready to get started?  Here's what you'll need:

• Scallops, Vines, & Waves ruler from Quilt in a Day (find it here on Amazon*)
• Marking tool of some kind like a disappearing ink pen or another non-permanent marking pen
• Sharp scissors
• Pins
• Bias binding

You'll also need a quilt that has already been quilted and is ready for binding. I'd recommend having no less than a 2.75" or 3" border on your quilt.  Keep in mind that if your border is less than 2.5" or 2.75" then you'll be cutting into the block portion of your quilt top when you cut the scallops!

Step 1: Trim the edges of your quilt so they're even.  Sometimes after quilting the edges of a quilt can be a bit wavy and you'll want a nice, straight edge to work with. I went around my whole quilt and trimmed the border to be 3.25" all the way around.  

Step 2:  Ok. Time for just a bit of math - and this is the trickiest part, I promise! 

 Measure the width and length of the quilt top.  Subtract 4" from each.  For example:

width: 68" - 4" = 64"

length: 77" - 4" = 73"

Take these two numbers and refer to the chart on page 15 of the booklet that comes with the ruler. By looking at the chart* I can see that for the top and bottom edge of the quilt I can get 8 scallops that are each 8" long.  And on the sides of the quilt I can get 9 scallops that will be about 8" long.

So now I know I'll be making 8" long scallops.  It's okay if your scallops are different sizes, but you'll want them as close in size as possible. Having 6" long scallops along the top edge and 9" long scallops along the sides would be noticeable. But having 7.5" and 8" scallops would not be.

*If you want to skip the chart and do the math yourself, scroll to the very bottom of this post and I'll step you through it. You really have a lot more options when you do the math yourself so it's worth taking a look!

Step 3: Use a straight ruler and a marking tool/pen to mark a diagonal line through the border to the corner.  I started marking mine with a hera marker but then realized the markings don't show up in photos well, so I added the purple line so you could see what I meant.

Step 4:  From step 2, I've determined that my scallops will be 8" long. So I find the 8" marking on the scallop ruler and place that on the diagonal line.  Be sure to have the solid line of the ruler placed on the edge of the quilt. 

Place a pin to mark the 8" spot on the other end of the ruler (see the circle in the photo below).

Step 5: Mark two more scallops in the same manner - placing the 8" ruler mark on the previous pin and adding a new pin where the next 8" ruler mark is.  

Step 6: After marking three scallops, move all the way down to the next corner and start marking scallops heading to the left.  Any size adjustments to the scallops will need to be made on the center scallops so we're starting on the corners and working our way in to the center.  

Place the 8" mark of the ruler on the diagonal line as we did previously. Place a pin in the 8" mark on the left end of the ruler.  Then move the ruler to the left and mark the next scallop in the same manner (see photo above). 

Step 7: Keep marking scallops on each end a couple at a time until you meet in the middle.  The photo below is where I met in the middle of my quilt - see how that center scallop will be larger than 8"?  It looks like my measurements are way off, but no worries!  This is where the adjusting comes in.

Because my center scallop is too large, I can go back through the center 3 or 4 scallops and adjust each one to be just a bit larger than 8".  It is important that you only adjust the center scallops and not the ones on the corners.  

For my quilt, the center few scallops ended up being more like 8.25" long but that difference is not noticeable in the finished quilt.

Step 8: Repeat steps 4-7 for the opposite side of the quilt, and then for the top and bottom of the quilt.

On the top and bottom of my quilt my center scallop was too small.  So I needed to adjust the center few scallops just a bit shorter than 8". They were more like 7.75" long, but again that wasn't noticeable in the finished quilt.    

Step 9: Once all scallops are marked with pins, you're ready to draw the scallops.  I used a Fine Point Disappearing Ink pen (air and water soluble) to mark my scallops.  But you can use any non-permanent marking pen.  Fat Quarter Shop has a Sewline Air Erasable Fabric Pen here that would work great.

Be sure to line up the solid line on the ruler with the edge of your quilt! (see photo below)

Draw the scallop then move the ruler down, using the pins and the edge of the quilt to line up the ruler.

TIP:  Leave the pins in your quilt until you begin cutting!  I had to step away from my quilt and by the time I got back, some of my scallops had faded and I needed to re-draw them.  I was so glad the pins were still there!

Continue marking the scallops around the edge of the quilt until you come back around to where you began.  You can see in the photo below how the arc of the scallop matches up with the other one at the corner.

Once the scallops are drawn, use a pair of sharp scissors to cut along the drawn lines.  Remove pins as you go.

 

Honestly, this was the nerve wracking part for me! Double check your scallops if you need to, then just take a deep breath and start cutting.  

My corners had a bit of a point to them, which is not unusual (see photo below)...

...so I just used my scissors to smooth out that curve. Much better!

You did it! Well done. See....not that bad, right?  

Now you're ready to add the binding.  You'll need bias binding for this quilt which will help it to lay beautifully flat around all of those curved edges.  I cut my bias binding strips at 2.25 for this project.

Binding this quilt works just like binding a regular quilt but at each scallop "valley" you'll stop at the bottom point, leave your needle in the fabric and pivot the quilt to line up the edge of the next scallop. Then keep going. 

The first few scallop "valleys" may feel strange to you but you'll quickly get the hang of it.  

I do recommend machine stitching the binding to the front of the quilt, and then hand stitching it to the back of the quilt. Everyone has their preferred way of doing quilt binding so it's hard to say what will work best for you.  

Some tips:

• One thing I learned is that it's a lot less exact than I thought it needed to be.  Small adjustments in the middle few scallops are not noticeable in the finished quilt.  
• The first time you make scalloped edges on a quilt will be the slowest.  Then you'll get the hang of it and it will be quicker next time - and more fun.
• If you prefer more of a wavy edge instead of a true scallop, the same ruler will help you with that - another reason to have this ruler in your toolbox. There are separate instructions inside the booklet for doing a wavy edge, plus another section for adding applique vines to a quilt. It really is such a useful tool!

If you have any additional questions that I didn't answer just add them to the comments at the bottom of the post! 

And for more details about the quilt shown in these photos, visit this blog post.

Want to figure out the math on your own?  Here's how:

Measure the width and length of the quilt top.  Subtract 4" from each.  For example:

width: 68" - 4" = 64"

length: 77" - 4" = 73"

Next, we want to find a number that we can divide them both by (or close enough).  This will help us determine the size of the scallop and how many will be on each side. 

In this case, I can divide 64 and 73 both by 8

64 / 8 = 8

73 / 8 = 9.125 (which is really close to 9 so we'll be rounding that down)

So now I know that across the top of my quilt I can make 8 scallops that are 8" long and down each side I can make 9 scallops that are 8" long.

Want to see another example?  Let's say you've made a baby quilt that is 45" x 45"

width: 45" - 4" = 41"

length: 45" - 4" = 41"

If I divide by 7, I get 5.85

So I can make 6 scallops per side that are about 7" long 

If I divide by 8, I get 5.125

Which means I could make 5 scallops per side that are about 8" long

If I divide by 4, I get 10.25

Which means I could make 10 scallops per side that are about 4" long

See how many options you have when you do the math yourself? I love that!

There is a bit of wiggle room and you really can play around with what size of scallop you want to have.  With a smaller quilt like a baby or crib size, I'd probably go for a shorter length of scallop.  But for a queen or king I'd use a longer scallop.  

When doing the math, there's no one right answer. Play around with the numbers and you can even go ahead and mark a few scallops on the quilt to see if you like the scale of the scallop in comparison to the quilt design!

 

Be sure to pin one of these images so you can find this tutorial again later!

Winsome Quilt + Woodland Songbirds Fabric

I took a look around my sewing room the other day and had to laugh - all four seasons were equally represented. I really should have gotten a photo of it. 

There was a completed fall-colored quilt folded on the chair, a Christmas quilt on the design wall, a stack of red, white and blue star blocks on my cutting table, and I was at my machine binding this very spring-ish quilt. 

This quilt is called Winsome and it's made with a fat quarter bundle of Woodland Songbirds fabric (Poppie Cotton).

Have you ever added a scallop border to a quilt?  I've always been completely intimidated by the idea, and honestly afraid I'd ruin a perfectly good quilt.  But then I found a secret weapon of sorts that makes scallops super easy and a lot less scary.

I'll be sharing a tutorial all about scallops next week so if you don't want to miss it, be sure to sign up for my newsletter  --you'll be notified when the tutorial is ready. 

 The Winsome quilt pattern needs just 10 fat quarters, but for this version I used a little of each of the 19 fat quarters in the Woodland Songbirds line. They're so pretty - I couldn't choose just ten so everyone got invited to the party ;)

Woodland Songbirds is the newest fabric line from Poppie Cotton (ask your local store if they've ordered it, or you can also find it on etsy from HunnieQuilt shop and PandoraLLC Shop.)*  It's such a soft and pretty line, and I love the contrast of the dark gray prints.

**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) when purchases are made through links found in this post. Thank you!

The Winsome pattern is found in my book, Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts but the original quilt looked just a bit different.  The addition of the scallop border is new to this version and I'm in love!  I wish I could go back in time and add a scallop border to the original quilt. (You can see a photo of the original Winsome quilt below.)

Isn't it fun to see how a quilt changes with the fabric choices? 

I designed this quilt block to be a mix between a Card Trick block and a Pinwheel block.  It's a fun one because it LOOKS far more complicated to piece than it actually is - I promise!

Want to make your own version of Winsome?  You can find copies of Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts here in my shop (autographed copies & free shipping), here on Amazon, and here from Martingale.

Quilt Details:

63" x 72"

Pattern: Winsome - found in the book, Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts**

Fabric: Woodland Songbirds by Poppie Cotton

Quilting: Knit 1 Purl 2 (edge to edge computerized longarm design)

Pieced on a Juki TL-2010Q using Aurifil Thread (50 wt color: 2021)

**If you're a quilt shop, Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts books are available wholesale through Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and Martingale.

If you make a Winsome quilt I'd love to see it!  Be sure to tag me on Instagram or Facebook (@abrightcorner) and use the hashtags: #winsomequilt #freshfatquarterquilts and #abrighcorner so we can all see what you create!

Would you like to see more projects made with Woodland Songbirds fabrics?  Check out the following makers who will be sharing their creations:

Monday  10/5/2020    http://www.happyquiltingmelissa.com/

Friday  10/9/2020    http://happylittlecottage.blogspot.com/

Wednesday  10/14/20    https://thisandthatpatterns.typepad.com/

Friday  10/16/20    http://www.abrightcorner.com/

Monday  10/19/20    http://mywanderingpath.com/

Wednesday  10/21/20    https://amerooniedesigns.com/

Friday  10/23/20    http://theredfeedsack.blogspot.com/

Monday  10/26/20    https://www.nannygoatquilts.com/

Wednesday  10/28/20    http://blueribbondesigns.com

Monday   11/9/20    www.primrosecottagequilts.com

SewPINK + Hearstrings Quilt Block Tutorial

Hello friends and new visitors!  Today I'm sharing a new quilt block tutorial - one that is close to my heart.  

Recently I was invited to participate in the #SewPINK initiative created by ByAnnie.com and I didn't hesitate for a moment.  You see, I am a breast cancer survivor myself and I will take any opportunity to bring awareness to this important issue. 

Nearly five (!) years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer and underwent a bilateral (double) mastectomy. During the difficult months of recovery, some dear friends secretly gathered heart quilt blocks from fellow quilters and stitched them together into a sweet quilt which was presented to me.  The beautiful, scrappy quilt included a label on the back with an inspirational quote and the names of all who contributed in some way to the quilt.  It is still one of my most treasured quilts and brings tears to my eyes just talking about it.

With that beloved quilt in mind, I wanted to share a tutorial for a quilt block that could be used by a group of friends or a guild to make a personalized and meaningful gift for someone battling cancer or going through a difficult time.  

This Heartstrings quilt block is a foundation pieced and applique block but it is beginner friendly and is great for using scraps.  I wanted you to be able to pull from what you already owned to make these blocks - use those scraps, favorite treasured fabrics, and prints with some meaning behind them.

**scroll to the bottom to read more about the #SewPINK initiative and how you can play a part!  And be sure to read the details about the giveaway as well!

If you know basic foundation piecing techniques then you can breeze right through the first part of this tutorial.  And if you're not familiar with it - don't be intimidated!  Once you get the hang of it you'll love it.  Pssst.....scroll down to find info about a giveaway from ByAnnie.com! 

Shall we get started?  

First - Download and print the Heartstrings PDF pattern. That's where you'll get the outlines for each side of the heart.  You can print on regular printer paper like I did, or you can also use Foundation Paper.  If you're making a lot of these blocks I recommend using Foundation Paper because it tears away SO easily.  Carol Doak's Foundation Paper is my favorite - find it here on Amazon*

Download and Print the Heartstrings PDF foundation pattern here

Makes one 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" quilt block

**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) when purchases are made through links found in this post. Thank you!

Gather the following fabric:

• a 6 1/2" x 11 1/2" piece for one half of the heart
• a 12 1/2" x 12 1/2" background square
• a variety of scraps / strips

You'll also need:

• a washable gluestick (optional)
• scissors
• rotary cutter and mat
• sewing machine that can do both straight stitching and zigzag

 

We'll be working on the left side of the heart first, but using the BACK of the paper.  

1.  Place the first strip of fabric (right side up).  Use a bit of washable glue (Elmer's Washable School Glue is my favorite) to help that first strip stay in place.  You'll want to be sure that the strip fully covers the bottom of the heart from edge to edge.  You can hold the paper up to a window or a light to check this.  

TIP:  You need to sew the strips to the back of the paper so that when it comes time to trim the half heart shape you can see the lines.  To make the lines more visible on the backside, you can place the paper against the window and trace over the lines with a pencil.  

2.  Place the second strip right sides together on top of the first strip.  Reduce your stitch length (I set my Juki TL-2010Q to a stitch length of 1).  

TIP:  When foundation piecing, it is essential to reduce your stitch length.  Having a really short stitch length will help to perforate the paper as you sew so it will be much easier to remove at the end!

Stitch along the edge of the fabric, stitching through strip 1 and 2 and the paper.  I try to still use a 1/4" seam allowance.

3. Fold open strip 2 and press.  

4.  Have some fun with these strips - for my 3rd strip I wanted it to be at a different angle so I placed it how I wanted it, and then stitched 1/4" from the edge of the 3rd strip.

See how it's going to leave a large seam allowance on that 2nd strip?  That's ok!  I'll just fold back the paper and trim that seam allowance to be 1/4".  

TIP:  The Add-A-Quarter ruler is really helpful for trimming up seam allowances when foundation piecing.

There....all trimmed up nice and neat!

5. Fold open the 3rd strip and press.  

6. Continue adding strips, varying the width of the strips and the angles.  Just be sure that each strip you add is WIDER than the heart shape.  At the end we'll trim it down and you don't want any strip to end up too short or you'll have to start over. 

Now I have my heart shape all covered.  See the photo below for the view from the other side...

7.  Time to trim the heart!  Use scissors to trim around the outside edge of the heart.  Carefully remove all the paper on the back side of the heart.

Set it aside for now and work on the right side of the heart.

8. Use scissors to cut out the half heart template and pin it to the 6 1/2" x 11 1/2" piece of fabric.  

TIP: Because this is a larger piece of fabric, you have a great opportunity to use a print that has a special meaning or message.  I love this print from Riley Blake Designs - I had it in my stash and I love that it had some positive and encouraging messages on it.  

9. Cut out the heart shape along the solid outer line.

10. Place the two heart halves right sides together and using a 1/4" seam and a regular stitch length, sew the two halves together along the center stitch line.  

11. Press seam toward the solid (right) half and trim off the little dog ear at the bottom point of the heart (see photo above).

12. It's now ready to be appliqued to the background square.  You have some options here - you can place your heart at a fun angle (as in the photo above), or center it.  

TIP: Be sure the heart is placed at least 1/2" away from all sides of the background square so it won't get caught in the seam when you're sewing the blocks together.  

If you choose to center the heart, fold the background square in half and finger press to crease.  Use that crease to help you center the heart.  You can see the heart centered over the crease in the photo below.

13. Time to use our helpful Elmer's washable school glue again.  I sure love this stuff when I'm foundation piecing.  Use a bit of glue in a few spots around the edges of the heart to hold it in place while you applique.  You can also pin the heart in place as well if you prefer.  

14. Use a small zigzag or blanket stitch (and coordinating thread) to stitch all the way around the heart and secure it to the background square.  On my Baby Lock Sofia 2 I used stitch #8, at 2.5 wide and 1.0 length.  

So that the zigzag stitch would not be as noticeable, I used a lighter pink thread on the left half and a darker pink thread on the right half.  

You're Heartstrings block is done!  

If you want to add more personality to your block, another option is to piece the background square!  To do this you'll need two rectangles, 6 1/2" x 12 1/2"

For this block I used some low volume scrap strips and switched which side I used the strips. 

TIP:  If you use lighter fabrics in your heart, be aware that the background print may show through.  For this reason, I chose a light pink background for the right side.  

Center the heart on the background square as we did before, glue or pin in place, and zigzag stitch around the heart to secure it.

And below you can see both of my blocks together.  I think I'll keep going and make enough of these for a throw quilt.  They're so fun and scrappy!

If you make a Heartstrings block I'd love to see it! Be sure to tag me (#abrightcorner) on social media and use the hashtags: #HeartstringsQuiltBlock and #abrightcorner so we can all see what you create!  

Giveaway

Edited to add:  Giveaway is now closed - thank you everyone!  The winner is Esther G.  Congrats Esther!  

Ready for the giveaway info?  ByAnnie.com is giving one of my lucky readers a $30 gift card!  To enter, simply leave a comment on this post.  I'll randomly choose a winner on October 20, 2020 and notify them by email (so make sure you include your email address in your comment!)  And a big thank you to ByAnnie.com for the giveaway!

Thanks for visiting!  If you're new here, you might also be interested in:

• my pattern shop
• more A Bright Corner tutorials
• view my completed quilts
• read about my book Fresh Fat Quarter Quilts here

Ready for more #SewPINK projects? Check out the talented creators that are a part of this blog tour:

✂ Oct. 1 (Thur): Mister Domestic

✂ Oct. 5 (Mon): Sewfinity

✂ Oct. 7 (Wed): Great Heron Thread

✂ Oct. 9 (Friday): Knot and Thread

✂ Oct. 12 (Mon): Snuggles Quilts

✂ Oct. 14 (Wed): A Bright Corner

✂ Oct. 16 (Fri): Suzn Quilts

✂ Oct. 19 (Mon): HUGS'N KISSES

✂ Oct. 20 (Tues): Sallie Tomato

✂ Oct. 22 (Thur): Masterpiece Quilting, Nancy Scott 

✂ Oct. 23 (Fri): Meadow Mist Designs

✂ Oct. 26 (Mon): LoveYouSew

✂ Oct. 27 (Tue): Teresa Coates

✂ Oct. 31 (Sat): Sookie Sews of Sue O'Very Designs

The #SewPink Initiative was created by ByAnnie.com LLC to raise awareness for breast cancer throughout the year. Our efforts culminate in an annual blog hop during October’s Breast Cancer Awareness Month to promote self-care, awareness, early detection and support for those affected by breast cancer. 

To learn more and see the calendar of events visit: https://www.ByAnnie.com/SewPINK

To find screenings available near you: 

• Breast Screen (Australia)

• CDC.gov (US)

• WebMD (free screenings)

To donate directly to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation visit: https://give.bcrf.org/give/31404/#!/donation/checkout

Did you know?

If you haven't yet, please make an appointment for a breast cancer screening!