Binding on scalloped edges

Oh boy, I've gotten myself into quite a project.  Our quilt guild hosted an auction to raise money for a local charity and I agreed to offer binding services.  The person who won the bid brought over a huge 1930's Dresden plate quilt that has deep scalloped edges.  This is the hardest binding that you can do and it takes tons of time and fussy sewing.  But I did agree to do binding, so I'm into it now.  I have to just keep thinking about the money raised for charity!

Making the first bias cut

This quilt edge requires bias binding.  I have used a technique for a few years where the fabric is sewn into a tube, then cut into binding strips around and around until you have one long strip.  This saves you from having to sew all the seams on stretchy edges.  After this white binding got folded and pressed, I rolled it and put it inside a baggie to keep it clean and tidy.

Starting to cut the strips from the tube

The binding rolled up and put into a baggie

The baggie of binding feeding into the machine

Two or three things are critical when sewing binding on scalloped edges.  You have to pivot your needle at every dip between the scallops.  You have to "push" a little extra fabric around the outside edges as you sew so that there will be enough at the outer edge of the binding when it's turned.  And the final thing is that you need to fold a  crease in the binding as it's flipped over the edge in every dip between the scallops.  If you're ever looking for an excellent book on binding, check out Mimi Dietrich's "Happy Endings".   She has written clear and concise instructions with drawings.

Extra fabric on outside curve; pin marking pivot point

Binding sewn to front

Pin the tuck on the front

After the binding is sewn to the front, you have to gently turn it to the back side and pin it with a cast of thousands of pins.  Don't forget to pin the front fold first to keep that tucked inside.  Slip stitch the back in place.  And finally, give it a good press.

lots of pins

OK, so here's the quilt.  I tracked my hours just because I was curious.  What would you guess?  It took 14 hours to finish the binding on this 75" x 92" quilt.   I hope she likes it!

Leslie Hinton Dresden plate quilt