Little Love Table Runner (pattern extension) - Daisi Toegel

Make a scalloped border table runner using any round tool you have!

*The process taught in this tutorial is NOT recommended for beginners. Previous experience binding quilts and other projects is highly recommended.

The pattern

Have you downloaded the FREE Little Love Mini Quilt pattern?

This pattern includes instructions to make 4 blocks, and there’s much more you can make with them! This is what we’ll make in this tutorial.

To make this runner you’ll need 4 blocks of Little Love Mini Quilt pattern.

Add borders and baste it

You can choose any width for your borders, and you can choose to add in-between block borders or not. For this project, I added only external borders that are cut 4in wide.

To make the scalloped border it’s better if you have some room to work around it as we won’t be using a traditional template, so wider borders are a good bet. The scalloped shape will vary according to what item you use to trace the curves.

But first, you’ll have to baste the project and quilt it.

Quilt and trim

I quilted vertical and horizontal lines to form a grid with a 1/2in spacing.

I trimmed the excess when I was done, and made sure to square all corners to have a consistent rectangle without any angling to have the best surface possible to trace the curves.

Trace the scallops

Use any round or oval item you have (I used my bobbin holder, but you can use a lid from an oats container for example, or a large can, a small bowl, etc.), and trace the four corners first (black arrows below).

Use a heat-erasable pen to trace only half of the shape you’re using, like a half-moon. In between the half-moon marks draw freehand a slightly open curve (purple arrows below), rather than a 90-degree corner or a tighter curve, a more open one will help when sewing the binding in place.

Space the half-moons according to the size of the shapes you’re using, for example, my overall runner size is 38in x 18in, and my oval bobbin holder diameter is approximately 5in. So for the 38in side, I have (7) half-moons to draw, and for the 15in side (3) half-moons. Since I am not drawing them right next to each other, I can space them a bit, by a maximum of 1 inch. This will still give me space enough to draw a slightly open curve in between each to make the binding process easier.

Continue tracing the half-moon shapes all around the border, spacing as mentioned above, and if you happen to wind up with a narrow space, erase the shape with the hot iron and rearrange.

Get as close to the edge of the project as you can get so you’ll have more room to play with the scalloped design.

Use an 18mm rotary cutter or scissors to trim around the traced shapes and prepare for binding.

Binding

You will need bias binding for this project. I have an easy-to-follow tutorial on that for you! Check this Continuous Bias Binding Tutorial here.

In this tutorial, you’ll also find a FREE Continuous Bias Binding Chart I’ve prepared. This chart will help you calculate what size of square you need to make the length of bias binding needed for any project you make.

If you decide to make your runner exactly like mine, you’ll need approximately 115 inches of bias binding (with some extra for trimming and finishing), which can be cut from a 16-inch square of fabric, since I am using a 2-inch wide binding strip.

Start sewing on the FRONT as you’d sew the binding on a quilt (most commonly if you hand sew the binding to the back, or if you do “stitch in the ditch” as a finishing method), and use a 1/4in seam allowance. Leave approximately 5 inches of tail, and backstitch in the beginning.

When you get to the curves, sew slower and use the help of a stiletto. Turn the project as needed to make the process easier.

To finish sewing the binding, you can use the same techniques used when quilt binding, but because we’re working with curves and bias binding, I particularly prefer to sew it in one specific way.

When you get about 5in far from the beginning of the binding, fold the end triangle corner towards the inside (see photo above), and place the tip of the beginning of the binding inside the end tip, trim it if needed to fit.

Fold the binding in half and continue sewing to finish.

Before folding the binding towards the back of the project, using scissors, make small cuts all over the edges so the binding can stretch freely and lay flat when it’s finished.

Use wonder clips, pins, or glue to secure the binding on the back to prepare to sew it by hand.

You can finish the binding by machine if you prefer.

The finished project

This may not be the easiest binding you’ll make, as it is a labor of detail and more love than the usual squared quilt binding. This type of finishing is a special treat to your project and requires a bit more preparation due to using bias binding.

The advantage of not using a formal template is that for each project you make using this technique, you’ll have a different look. You can even try to draw the curves all by hand!